The Gang of Brooklyn
by cbs3
Summary: Spot Conlon & the gang move up in the world.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Ohh! I changed the title! I meant the original to be sort of a temp while I waited for inspiration to hit, but it never did. So I have changed it and may change it again because it's quite fun.

Disclaimer: I don't own Spot Conlon, he's a chracter in the Disney movie _Newsies_. Oh, also I took some inspiration for this tale from F. Scott Fitzgerald, The _Gossip Girl_ book series, _The Three Musketeers _and Pete Doherty (there's some variety for you!) And the very first scene quite ressembles _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_. Everything else is probably stolen as well. ; )

So this is the sequel to _Gangs of Brooklyn_, but it isn't necessary to read that first. In fact I don't even really _recommend_ it because this is a COMPLETELY different story. It focuses on the pleasures, intrigues and violence of High Society. Sex, drugs and cotillians! For a little character backround, see summary below:

Summary (spoiler)(hate summaries, by the way, it'll probably show). Basically, it's about this gang in Brooklyn: Roan the insane and charismatic leader, Kyro, his best buddy who is rather wise but mostly silent and Ugly, who is a confused and conflicted young lady with a rather unfortunate nickname. Anyways, they kind of get into a tizzy over Spot Conlon, an up and coming newsboy leader. Ugly and Spot kind of fall for each other and Roan freaks out a little. People get upset. But in the end they make a shaky peace and join up, and this story is what comes of their success

Oh, also, it is revealed that Ugly was actually "kidnapped"/ran away with Roan and Kyro and married Roan to prevent her family from being able to take her back (but I promise they won't turn up in this story, I hate when that happens) (oh, also of relevance: Kyro and Ugly had a "hooking up" relationship (whereas her "husband" (Roan) has never done more then touch her hair, so much for marital privileges!))…anyway this sequel is gonna be off the hook, yeah! Okay, enough of that. Here we go…

XXX

Seven months later…

In the bluish light of a Brooklyn bar, three men played Five Card Stud. They were the only people in the room, except for a skinny barman who kept humming to himself and wiping imaginary dirt of the counter as rats scuttled around his feet.

The three men were chugging through cigars like steam engines. They had thick, throaty voices and straight, serious faces. They wore dark suits.

The barman thought they were probably mobsters. He was watching them out of the corner of his eye when the door opened. The bar was on the third story and only accessible by a fire escape in a hidden alley. It was solely visited by those who knew where to look.

This is why all four pairs of human eyes shot up to view the intruders. They were small framed, a boy and a girl. Probably two young lovers looking for a quiet corner of cuddle in. They weren't welcome here.

"Bars closed." One of the poker players said. The barman kept rubbing away at the counter. With his customers, he had learned it was best not to interfere.

"You're playing poker, can I play a hand?" The boy asked, approaching the table. He was wearing a bowler hat and a brown jacket. The hat hid his eyes. The girl was wearing pants, which struck the men as strange. She had long, blonde hair that spilled down her shoulders.

"He's really good," she commented, following at his heels.

One of the men scooted back in his chair. "Listen, bub," he spoke with an Italian accent. "This is a private game, this is a private bar."

The boy grabbed a chair and scrapped it across the floor. He sat down backwards, one leg on each side. The players watched, annoyed.

"Am I not on the list? Check the list, I'm sure my names there," he said. The men were really starting to dislike this cocky little shit.

The man with the mouth spoke again. "Listen, kiddo, you better get the fuck out of here before I do something stupid." He pulled back his jacket to reveal a gun resting in a back strap.

"Thing is," the boy said, "you already did." He reached across the table and grabbed a cigarette pack, pulled one out and slid it between his teeth. He lit a match. "Do you mind?" The men were losing patience. The boy exhaled slowly. "About an hour ago, you made a little deal down at the docks." Their eyes flicked on each other nervously. "A deal that happened to be illegal." He exhaled swirling smoke. "You want a hit, babe?" He asked the girl, holding out the cigarette. She leaned over, a wave of hair falling over her shoulder, and took a puff.

"Yeah?" The mouth asked. "What are you gonna do about it?" His face was drawn; his fingers twitching at the ready.

"I'm just going to relieve you of that dirty, dirty money," the boy said.

"Who the fuck are you?" The man demanded, skeptical and incredulous.

The boy took off his hat and set it on the table. He looked at the Mouth with hard, blue eyes. "I'm the last person you'll ever meet."

"Now, Spot, don't do anything rash," the girl advised. The three mens' faces blanched.

"Are you Spot Conlon? The Black Spot?" He asked. He didn't look so tough now. "Listen, I didn't know you were Spot Conlon." He put up his hands in surrender. "Look, the money's yours."

"Yeah, take it," another man said, tossing the sack on the table. The girl leaned over and collected it. She peered carefully inside to make sure it was the expected amount, then gave Spot a small nod.

Spot stood up from his chair and bowed slightly, a lock of dirty blonde hair fell over a blue eye. "Pleasure doing business with you," he said smugly. He grabbed his hat off the table and placed it on his head.

The boy and the girl walked to the door.

"I bet that ain't even the real Spot Conlon," the Mouth mumbled. The words were no sooner out of his mouth then Spot and spun around and shot three times in succession. The man clutched his chest but felt no pain. He looked down and saw the bullet had only grazed his side. Then he realized that his gun had been shot right out of the holster. He looked up in disbelief, but the pair was gone.

XXX

In the pastseveral months Spot Conlon had cultivated the kind of reputation he had always dreamed about. He had mystique, he had connections. He held Brooklyn and all of New York in the palm of his hand.

They called him "Black Spot" Conlon, after the old pirate death sentence. Spot thought it was pretty ironic considering he'd never actually killed someone. He didn't have to, he was that good. And even better, he only stole from the lawbreakers. He considered himself a kind of guardian of the city, except he kept most of the money to fund his other ventures.

His ego hadgrown to the point where he almost considered himself a God. There were only a few people who could humble him.

And she was one of them. The beautiful and infamous Ugly Sendim. A trained assassin with the face of an angel. She had taught him to shoot, helped him run his first few jobs. Then one day, he had just exploded. All of the sudden, he exceeded her in every way.

Ugly liked to think she had always known he had it in him. She glanced at him now as they walked home, and she couldn't help her heart from swelling with pride. He was cool, he was confident; he was that absolutely perfect guy who took what he wanted. And he wanted her.

They walked through the nighttime streets with a glow that made people turn their heads and watch. They felt superior and god-like.

They reached The Coronation Hotel, a place overlooking the river with all the luxury of the Ritz but a more _interesting_ clientele. They strode through the lobby. The doorman tipped his hat, heads turned, greetings were tossed eagerly. They smiled serenely and got on the elevator.

Rodney, who ran the elevator, smiled at them. "You two have a nice night?" He asked. pulling the knob to the top floor. Spot nodded as the elevator shuddered. He turned and looked at Ugly as it began to ascend. His eyes were soft and sexy. He approached her, looking down at her with a crazy confidence that lit her up. They kissed slowly and deeply as the elevator flew up to the penthouse.

XXX

Success did not sit well with Roan Xavier. He needed an enemy to fight, something to rail against. Ever since Spot Conlon had started running with their gang, business had exploded. Roan wasn't sure whether he was lucky or just talented. It was probably a little bit of both. Either way, it seemed that together, they just couldn't lose. There was nothing left to want.

With no enemy to battle, Roan had begun to wage a fierce and dangerous war against himself. And the drugs were winning. A person who had not seen Roan over the pastseven months probably wouldn't even recognize him. Where he was once cut, muscled and powerful, he was now waifishly thin. His eyes were permanently circled with deep brown shading. His hair was messy and matted and his head seemed larger for lack of flesh. In contrast to his disheveled appearance, he wore beautiful suits and Italian leather shoes so that he looked almost poetic. The tortured genius, the pathetic lush.

He was sitting now on the balcony of their top floor penthouse, chain-smoking cigarettes like he was trying to poison himself. Kill me now, kill me now. He stared vacantly over the river and into the dark, vast sky.

"I'd like to go there," He mumbled to his best friend.

Kyro sat next to him, feet up on the rail and legs crossed below the knee. He had yellow hair and yellow eyes. Kyro was one of those people who never seemed to change. The kind that made you think, he must be from somewhere else. Yet you weren't quite sure where. He was distant and detached and unreadable.

He and Roan had always made the perfect pair. Where Roan was mad and unpredictable, Kyro was constant and cool as snow. Kyro had watched Roan fade away with the same removed observance with which he viewed everything. He was always there, watching and never wavering.

Kyro slowly exhaled his marijuana cigarette. "We should," he mumbled back.

Roan craned his head back, unsure whether he was high off crack or opium…or both. "Fucking hell," he mumbled. Kyro couldn't agree more.

XXX

My, my, how time changes us all! So, whadya think? This chappie has a lot of information to process! Anyways, now it's time for some questions…

Spot for president! Is Spot Conlon really unstoppable? Can you believe a teenager has grown men shaking in their boots? Must be those killer good looks!

And how 'bout Miss Ugly, we didn't here to much about her except that she is head over heels for Spotty-kins. But can she hold onto a guy that magnetic?

And then there's Roan, who didn't do too much in this chapter, but promises some drug-laced excitement! Why is it the insane always find their way to drugs? Aren't they already crazy enough? Guess you can never be two insane.

Kyro didn't say much either. He's probably the only one who hasn't changed, well, visibly anyway. But how does he feel about Spot and Miss Ugly? That and more will be revealed when the two lovebirds get off that damn elevator in the next chap! Until then mes amis…


	2. Chapter 2

Ugly felt deflated when the elevator stopped at the top floor and Spot pulled away from her. She followed him out. Spot seemed edgy as they entered the apartment. Last Monday, they'd arrived home late to find Kyro watching Roan paint the walls with his blood. You truly never knew what to expect with Roan, and he was getting worse by the minute.

"I wonder what those fuckwits are up to now," Spot said under his breath. Ugly watched him with amusement; he would never dare talk that way in front of them. Sure, he was part of their gang, but he interacted more with her. Kyro and Roan had their own secret world that no one else could ever get into. Although most people probably wouldn't want to.

Spot walked through the spacious apartment, looking this way and that. The penthouse was sparsely furnished and completely artless. The furnishings consisted of a few randomly acquired pieces with no rhyme or reason. A black silk couch, a claw footed table, a chandelier that hung on an angle.

"They're probably on the balcony," Ugly said. Roan and Kyro didn't seem to like the new place. They always ended up "accidentally" destroying it, blood on the walls, holes in the ceiling and teeth marks on the table legs that Ugly would really rather not know about.

It was nothing like the dilapidated Lodging House they'd once shared. But that was the price of success.

Ugly followed Spot out to the balcony. Sure enough, the two knuckle-heads were there, engulfed in the usual amount of smoke. Neither one so much as flinched when Spot and Ugly stepped outside through the open door.

Ugly kept her eyes on Spot. He always got strangely uncomfortable around these two, shy even. It was a change from his usual assuredness. Ugly loved that she knew all his little vulnerabilities.

Spot sat down in a chair a small distance from them. He didn't pull it closer. He lit a cigarette. Ugly stood between him and them. Spot exhaled smoke, gathering his courage.

"So, we brought back a nice sack of dough," he said.

It was quiet for a minute. "Steals from the rich and gives to the poor," Roan said. "Where's the Sheriff…what's his name anyway?" Roan asked Kyro.

"Richard?" Kyro suggested vaguely.

"No, that's the king. The king is Richard. King Richard," Roan corrected.

"Oh," said Kyro. _Jesus_, thought Ugly. They should start up their own little vaudeville show. _Side Show Roan, Guest Starring Kyro the Unspoken: See How the Mighty have Fallen!_

Spot rolled his eyes at Ugly. He stood back up, rubbing out his spent cigarette. "Well, we're going to sleep," he announced.

"That's right, fuck Maid Marion," Roan mumbled. He didn't even look at them. _He never looks at me anymore_, Ugly thought for the millionth time. It bothered her. He had once seemed to care so deeply for her well being, now she felt more and more like a stranger. She had changed, he had changed. She looked at Spot and thought that change could be a good thing.

But one thing hadn't changed. She caught Kyro looking at her as she and Spot exited the balcony. He looked at her in the same unflinching, mildly unsettling way that he had always looked at her. Ugly looked away, uncomfortable. She followed Spot back inside.

XXX

They went into their room, which was at the opposite end of the penthouse from where Roan and Kyro stayed, they liked their privacy.

Ugly stripped down and watched Spot take of his shirt. His back was nice and muscled. He scooted into bed next to her, then leaned over and gave her a kiss. "'Night, sweetheart," he said.

"'Night," she whispered back. He rested his arm on her waist and snuggled in. Ugly stared at his perfect face as he closed his eyes to sleep. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

XXX

"Roan, we _have_ to go," Spot said. His voice was firm.

"Oh my God! We do? We have to?" Roan teased in mock horror. "What'll happen if we don't?" His voice crackled with dulled threat.

"Come on, Roan, you know this is part of it, this is what we do," Spot was straightened his suit in the gilt framed mirror of the sitting room, carefully brushing back his hair. Kyro was pouring drinks from the bar, he handed one to Roan.

Roan took a gulp. "Jesus fuck, Conlon, you're one anal little bitch," Roan complained. He had turned into a petulant child. But Spot knew that once he got him out he would turn on the public Roan, he couldn't help himself. He dealt with people on intimidation, it was automatic. He saved his deterioration for those closest to him. Lucky them.

The endless bickering was beginning to wear on all of them. Fortunately, they were rescued by the entrance of their saving grace. Ugly walked into the living room with both hands adjusting a fashionable chandelier earring. She was wearing a green silk dress that spilled over her in a fabulous way and her hair was piled loosely on top of her head. The color of the dress added a snap to her keen green eyes. Spot and Kyro gaped, Roan took another swig of his drink.

"You look beautiful," Spot said, rushing over and kissing her in a way that made Ugly feel every bit the fashionable young lady she was pretending to be. "C'mon, the carriage is probably waiting," Spot looped his arm through hers and escorted her toward the elevator.

Roan finished his drink. He jerked his hand at Kyro, beckoning him. "Let's go, the king and queen will need their fools," he mumbled.

XXX

Spot was right about Roan. Once they arrived at the party, he was every inch the daunting son of a bitch they all expected him to be. Even Spot couldn't help but be a little in awe of him.

The party was more of a formal ball, with a guest list that read like money, without regard to where it was from. Mobsters, senators and plain old thieves mingled amidst laughter and booze.

Ugly absolutely hated these things. She hated wearing dresses. She hated being hit on by drunk old men and she hated how the moment they arrived, Spot disappeared for the rest of the night, traveling from person to person, trading tips and making deals.

As predicted, Spot dropped a kiss on her neck. "You all right, sweetie?" He asked. She nodded, he smiled sweetly and was gone. Roan couldn't get away from her fast enough and Kyro followed silently behind. They would probably hole up at the bar or play a fierce game of poker and end up in a drunken brawl.

Ugly walked outside and sat at an empty table, pulling a cigarette out of her purse. She would sit outside and chain smoke, deflecting the passes made by sodden bastards.

XXX

Ugly was on her third cigarette when she heard a voice behind her.

"Is this seat taken?" A female voice with a British accent asked politely. Ugly turned to see a stunning looking girl. She was tiny and lost in a black dress with a choppy cut. Her dirty blonde hair was down and straight, completely unfashionable but she could pull it off because she had a classically-constructed face. She smiled at Ugly, a glimmer in her hazel eyes.

Ugly didn't respond, so she sat down anyway. "I'm absolutely dying for a smoke!" She exclaimed. To prove her point she fished a pack out of her purse and began smoking with a fury. "Isn't this party just fantastic?" She asked, waving a graceful hand casually through the air.

Ugly cleared her throat. "Yeah, it's great," she said, unconvincingly.

The girl looked at her suspiciously. "You haven't been to the bar yet, have you?" She demanded. Ugly shook her head. The girl jumped up and grabbed Ugly by the wrist, pulling her to her feet. "Come on, missy, you're coming with me," she demanded. Ugly followed obediently.

XXX

Roan and Kyro were holding court at a high stakes poker table. While the rest of the table was stone faced, the two of them were grinning like idiots. Roan had had every intention of frittering away all ofhis and Spot'smoney. Unfortunately, it seemed the more he tried to lose, the better he did. At least Kyro was having terrible luck, but that was only because he folded nearly every hand.

Kyro waved his hand in the traditional symbol, folding again. Roan won the hand and Kyro flipped his hand over to show Roan. He had folded on a Royal Flush. The two of them fell into fits of giggles.

An older gentleman across the table with an eyeglass on a chain looked at them disapprovingly. He had lost a considerable amount. "What exactly are you two playing at?" He asked.

Roan's laughter dried up like a desert and he fixed the man with a deadly stare. "We're playing at I slit your throat if you speak to me like that again," he snapped. The man shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Roan kept his eyes locked on him, drawing it out. The other players glanced around nervously.

Suddenly, Roan busted up laughing. Kyro cracked a smile. "C'mon, Mister Mayor, you know I wouldn't do that to you," he said, casually. He stood up. "Sorry, _gentlemen_, but I really can't stand to win another hand. I've reached my limit, don't want the wife to get upset." He turned and walked away with Kyro close behind. The rest of the players glanced around in confusion; he'd leftevery lastdollar ofhis considerable winnings on the table.

As they walked off, Roan turned back to Kyro. "Where is my wife, anyway?" he asked.

XXX

Ugly laughed, grabbing onto her new friend's shoulder. The world was spinning. When did life get to be so fun? She really didn't know why she hadn't tried champagne before. Tonight she'd tried glass after glass and she felt _absolutely_ fabulous. The two girls giggled and stumbled back outside, bumping into a few handsome young men on the way, which made them laugh even harder. These parties weren't so bad after all…

XXX

So, this story seems a lot more…I don't know…_adult_ then the last one, I mean nothing much has happened yet, I'm am still setting up for all the _great_ things I have in store. Tell me what you think, it's fun to write any way, and that's pretty dang important.

So, ahh…the wonderful things we do when we're drunk…what will Miss Ugly, temporarily abandoned by her man, get up to tonight?

And who is this new girl anyway? She seems suspicious and naughty.

Why the sudden concern for his little wife from Roan?

Does Kyro wish she were _his_ wife?

And where, pray tell, is Mr Big Stuff aka Spot Conlon?

What kind of trouble will they all get into next? Hmmm…we shall see…


	3. Chapter 3

Hehe, so I am already updating, but when inspiration burns, it is unstoppable! Anyway, I am very excited/nervous about what is going to happen, and when you finish this chappie, you will see why!

XXX

Roan found his darling wife outside laughing hysterically with her newfound friend. Roan looked mildly amused to see her so uncharacteristically bold. Kyro looked at his shoes.

"Hey, gorgeous," Roan said, pulling up a chair. Kyro followed suit. Ugly was somewhat tempted to say, "Oh, so now you're all buddy-buddy?" but she was in much too good of a mood to get upset over anything. Instead she just smiled. Why couldn't she stop smiling? Roan nodded at the girl in the black dress.

She put forward her hand. "I'm Katie," she said by way of introduction. She smoked her cigarette and regarded him thoughtfully. "You're Roan Xavier, aren't you?"

Roan shrugged in acquiesces, already at work lighting a cigarette. Kyro was looking at Ugly, his mind wandering to other drunken nights with her. He and alcohol used to be interchangeable companions to her. He used to taste whiskey and desperation on her mouth. Did the girl he once knew even exist anymore? Had she ever existed at all? For her part, Ugly ignored him, listening amicably to the conversation between Katie and Roan.

"I've heard of you," Katie said. Roan had grown to hate this statement. Lately, it was always fastened to disappointment. "You used to date Kinea Cailum."

"Fucking whore," Roan mumbled involuntarily.

Katie tilted her head. "She's my best friend," she said. She leaned back in her chair, looking around. "She's here tonight, you know."

"I though she was in Greece," Roan commented carelessly through a thick cold of smoke, "with that rich dick."

"He's here, too," she said. Roan shrugged. He really couldn't care less, about anything come to that. "Who are you?" Katie asked Kyro. He was kind of chilling in the way that he sat their, shadow-like.

"That's Kyro," Ugly said, picking up on the habit she'd once had of speaking for him. Katie smiled sweetly at him; Ugly was mildly annoyed.

"Speak of the devil," Katie whispered, standing up to greet a girl who'd just stepped outside.

The girl was Kinea Cailum. And that was saying something. She'd escaped from a family of mid-west farmers to the high society of New York on looks and mettle alone. She was stunning and classy, but more importantly she was a cold and shrewd social climber that brought the world to its knees.

"Oh, Katie! Sweetheart!" She gushed in a theatrically tender way that caused the other outdoor revelers to turn and look. Kinea always put on a good show. The girls exchanged air kisses and squealed a little before Katie directed Kinea to the table.

"Kinni, this is…" she motioned towards Ugly and drew a blank, "my _new _best friend and I think you know them." She waved her hand somewhat significantly.

Kinea smiled at Ugly and then looked at Roan in confusion. Slowly her plastered smile began to fade.

"Hey Kinni," Roan said, chain-lighting another cigarette. Kyro glared at her a little.

"Roan," Kinea acknowledged, looking for a chair, "you look like shit," she added conversationally. Roan grinned. Kinea saw a chair a few feet off and walked over to drag it around. "Don't bother yourself," she snapped at Roan, "you look so gorgeously pathetic sitting there."

"Still fucking those dollar bills, baby?" He shot back.

Kinea sat down and tried to compose herself. She certainly didn't want to appear classless to anyone who might be observing. She lit up a cigarette and placed it on a tortoise shell stem. "You look as though you've been _fucking_ some dollar bills yourself," she said under her breath, noting his nice dress.

"Don't go dumping your little dick boy for me now, I'll _give_ you the money to stay away," Roan replied.

"_Clever_," Kinea said sarcastically.

Katie cleared her throat. "As much _fun _as it is to listen to exes quarreling, can you two take a break from round one? _I _for one would like to have some fun tonight. What about you?" She asked, nudging Ugly.

Ugly felt wild and dangerous, like she could do anything. "What did you have in mind?"

"Central Park is just round the corner…and the lake…" Katie noted

"I'll grab the wine," Kinea arched a brow wickedly.

Ugly was so caught up in the moment, she forgot to tell her boyfriend she was leaving. Opps!

XXX

Kinea made a slight detour to the powder room before heading to the bar. She made a beeline to the mirror. This was her home base, where she laid all her plans and found all her comfort, in her reflection.

She looked at her face and wondered at its freakish perfection; beautiful bold eyes, heavy lips, high cheekbones. She was trim, she was vital; she was so beautiful, even she was mesmerized.

She stared into her eyes and found comfort, because her heart was beating very fast. Her plans had also taken a detour. She had counted on Roan to _help_ her, but he definitely did not seem up to the task. He had rotted away to a ghost of the person she once knew.

She simply would have to find _aid _elsewhere. She scanned her mind for leads, anything. An idea came to her quickly; that Conlon boy. She had heard of little else since her return to city. He had seceded and exceeded the vacancy left by Roan Xavier. He was the perfect target, the perfect tool to get her life back on track. She looked at her face and promised her beauty that he could save her. She even smiled slightly, there was nothing like a new plan to get the blood flowing.

She began to step away but hesitated. There was another reason the blood was flowing. Kinea was never one to shirk from the truth; it was one of her gifts. She dove headlong into, faced it and overcame it. And the truth was that Roan Xavier was the only person she had ever loved. The moment she'd discovered this awful truth, she'd ran from him faster than she knew her legs could carry her.

She had been scared to death to see him tonight, though no one would ever know it. She had heard that he had fallen into…_disrepair_, but it was even worse than she had expected. And she was glad of it. It would be easy to stop loving him, as there was so little of him left to love. It was a blessing in disguise, she told herself. But still, there was a part of her that felt a loss, as if a loved one had died.

Kinea shook herself. She was never one to mourn. She was a woman of action. She had a plan. And God save the poor soul who tried to get in her way.

XXX

Yikes! Ugly beware, yet another girl has set her sights on Spot Conlon, but this one actually looks to be pretty formidable! So, hmmm…

What exactly is Katie suggesting they do in a dirty duck pond? Probably rife with disease as well…And why do these kinds of ideas always sound better when you're drunk?

Will Kyro take advantage of Ugly's inebriation? Or will he just keep waiting/wishing…

And how is Kinea planning on "getting" Spot Conlon and what exactly does she want to do with him? Will her old feelings for the old Roan get in the way?

And what about Roan, will this girl from his past snap him out it?

And where, pray tell, _is_ Mr. Incredible? Will he be swayed by this gorgeous girl with a talent for b.s.? And how will he feel about his girlfriend getting punch drunk and having a wild night out with her ex and her husband?

That's a whole lot to process! Well, _nous allons voir…_and very soon


	4. Chapter 4

Spot Conlon was hard at work. But he was in his element, which basically meant he was being praised by lots and lots of people. He was creating the enigma, solidifying the reputation. But as the night wore thin, he found his mind drifting; drifting to his girl.

In spite of all the tasty ego strokes, he couldn't help but look forward to the end of the night, when he sidled down beside her in their bed. She'd look at him in admiration as he told her he'd swapped stories with kingpins, shared a cigar with the mayor, captivated a gun slinger by recounting the time he'd shot a purse out of a criminal's hand on a moving train (improving the truth a little, but he was _the_ Spot Conlon, so he could get away with it). It was all very impressive, to be sure, but none of it seemed to matter much until he'd shared it with her.

Usually, Spot was able to maintain his focus at parties like these, but tonight, his mind was drifting more and more. He scanned the crowd for the umpteenth time. If he could just find her, he would grab her and pull her away somewhere private and…he smiled dreamily to himself.

Then he suddenly realized that the guy next to him was talking about slitting someone's throat. Yeah, the smile wasn't really appropriate. Spot Conlon stood up and graciously excused himself. His eyes searched for that green dress. Where had his girl gone to? If only he knew…

XXX

Katie was giggling like mad as she attempted to extract some weedy thing from her hair. Ugly watched her as she waded back deeper into the pond. Sure, it was a bit murky and the ducks were kind of loud but it felt so good to be floating, suspended, drunk. Kyro was watching her intently from the shore, worry furrowing on his normally undisturbed brow. Kinea was standing next to him, seeming jolly enough, but with absolutely no intention of getting into the pond. Roan was walking after the ducks with disquieting fascination.

Ugly wasn't bothered by any of this. _Nothing can bother me tonight_, she thought as she leaned back and let the water ascend around her ears. She let her body float, suspended in the middle of the pond. She couldn't hear anything and all she could see was the sky. She closed her eyes.

Katie shrieked. Ugly bolted up, swirling water.

"Something bit me!" Katie yelped, dashing out of the pond. Kinea laughed and Katie whacked her in the head. "C'mon, let's go, I need a change of clothes."

Kinea turned to Kyro. "Where's your place?" She asked. Kyro ignored her. She turned to Ugly, familiar with Kyro's subtle disdain for her. "Hey, where's your place?" She called.

"It's in Brooklyn," Ugly called back, undeterred from her swim by the threat of bites.

"Can we go there? Katie needs clothes." The thought struck Ugly momentarily that Brooklyn was a ways from here, and wouldn't Katie and Kinea be staying in Manhattan? But she shrugged it away; she was too serene to care tonight.

"Sure," she replied, wading toward the shore. Kyro looked relieved as she walked dripping up the shore. He immediately removed his jacket and wrapped it around her.

Katie was shivering. "Come on, let's get a carriage," Kinea hurried them along, used to taking charge. She turned and yelled out at Roan. "Hey! We're leaving, you quack!" Roan looked up from his herd of ducks. Kinea rolled her eyes, she should have just left him there.

XXX

One sopping carriage ride and a few glasses of wine later and they arrived at The Coronation. When they entered the lobby, Ugly's mind immediately went to Spot. The way they always walked in, hand-in-hand and how he always gave her a kiss in the elevator. She almost felt ashamed for a moment, watching Kate and Kinea skip and giggle. But it was a passing fancy and she soon linked arms and joined the fun.

The moment they arrived at the apartment Roan, who had been silent the entire carriage ride, clipped at a hurried pace toward his room. Kinea looked to Ugly in surprise at his rudeness and Ugly made a sign to indicate that he was shooting up. Kinea made a face. "_Charming_," she sneered.

Katie was eager to get out of her wet clothes. So eager in fact that she began stripping right then and there, laughing as she fumbled with her dress. She finally got it off and jumped around in her corset.

"Aren't I _scandalous_?" She squealed. Kyro looked annoyed. Ugly wasn't quite sure what to feel, she'd lost control of the situation a while back. So when Katie started tugging at her dress, she couldn't help but get caught up in the moment, laughing and squirming about.

So when dear Spot Conlon arrived home from his long, hard night, after being ditched by his girlfriend, he found said girl giggling away as she tumbled over some girl he'd never seen before wearing nothing but her underwear.

XXX

The look of shock on Spot's face sobered Ugly up quickly. She felt a flush burn up her cheeks and was at a complete loss for what to do. Fortunately she was rescued by Kinea.

Kinea hurried over to Spot, all gracious smiles. "It is such a pleasure to finally meet you! I have heard so much about you and was just _dying_ to make your acquaintance," she gushed. "These poor girls slipped into the pond when we were out at Central Park, bad footing you know. I was just so worried that they'd catch something, God knows what's living in there! So I told them they absolutely most get cleaned up and not to be shy," she explained smoothly, looking at the girls in mock concern. Ugly felt a rush of gratitude, until she noticed the keen way Spot looked her up and down. "So, how did you like the party?" She asked. "Oh! I absolutely am dying for a smoke, let's talk on the balcony." She offered her hand. Ugly felt a burning in her chest. Her first impulse was to blame Kinea, but then she realized, Kinea had no idea that Spot was her boyfriend. In fact, she was probably just trying to rescue her from any more embarrassment by giving her a chance to compose herself. Spot took her hand and followed her out onto the balcony, shooting Ugly a significant look that made her burn twice as hard.

XXX

Ahh! Doesn't this just kill you! My, my, are these kids in trouble…

So, what is it about the wrong people entering at the wrong moments? Does it always seem to happen, or am I just lucky? How will Ugly cope with the embarrassment?

Oh, and wasn't that sweet of Kinea to come to her rescue like that? That girl is just a real angel! Will anyone see through her, and what will they do about it?

Why did Spot follow her out anyway? Apparently he is not above punishing and inciting jealousy, or else he was actually taken by her, which would be even worse!

And then there's Katie, with a best friend like Kinea, you know she's probably a bit wicked…

And what about Kyro, if he realizes that some girl is out to get Ugly's man will he side with her or _her_?

And will Roan please stop shooting up and do something about all this? Where's that old man of action?

Well, this story guarantees a lot of action anyways; just you wait and see…


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hey! Sorry for the insanely fast updates, but I am ill at the moment, so I am something of a prisoner. Not only that, but (for the first time ever!) I actually have a plot, I mean my story does. Useful thing, that. And I am very excited about my plot! My story actually has direction! Marvelous, but infuriating because…well, just you wait and see…

XXX

Ugly awoke the next morning with a headache to match her shame. She'd had every intention last night of going out onto the balcony and begging Spot's forgiveness, with many kisses, but instead she had passed out.

She crawled out of bed, not quite sure how she'd gotten there, and drifted to the living room. There, of course, was Spot Conlon, shirtless in all his glory. He was standing and drinking orange juice like a healthy, sunny person.

"Morning," He said to her over the lip of his glass. She tried to mirror his response, but it ended up as more of a mumble. "Rough night?" He asked. Was she only imagining a note of disdain in his voice?

She shrugged. "I would have rather been with you," she confessed. Obviously, the alcohol was not done with her yet.

Spot put down his glass and walked over, wrapping his arms around her and burying his head in her shoulder. "Me too," he murmured. Ugly held him back and wondered how a dolt like her had acquired such a perfect boyfriend.

He pulled away and grabbed his shirt off a chair, pulled it on and buttoned it up. "I have a few things to do, but I'll be back tonight," he promised.

"Can I go with you?" She asked, aware that she sounded a little pathetic. But she couldn't help herself. One night apart was already too much.

He brushed back her hair and kissed her head. "I wish you could. Don't worry though," he said, running his thumb under her chin. "I'll be back soon."

They kissed good-bye and Ugly was glad to see that he looked truly unhappy to be leaving her.

The door shut and Ugly was alone in the empty room, missing him. She hated when he left her. She honestly didn't know what to do with herself. It wasn't like she could just hop in on Roan and shoot up. Not that she had any desire whatsoever to do so. And Kyro was to be avoided as well.

Ugly bounced her foot and entertained the disparaging thought that she was hopelessly pathetic. The truth was, she wanted to be with Spot, only and all the time. And when he wasn't around, she felt depressed and despondent. She sighed. He seemed perfectly able to get along without her. She supposed she should be happy for him, but she couldn't help but think it unfair that she was doomed to miss him more. She sighed again.

Kyro wandered into the room, looking as she felt, adrift. She realized that they had something in common; they both anchored themselves to stronger people. She thought of how pitiful Kyro had seemed lately, tied to a sinking ship. A shiver ran up her spine. She needed to get a life of her own.

She stood up. Yes, that was it. Spot would be so impressed. She didn't need him. She could be shining and magnetic, too. She could be irresistible. She could make him miss her more.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. She looked to Kyro, this was not a very common occurrence. She went to answer it wishing their tenth servant in a row hadn't walked out after being terrorized by Roan.

At the door was an impeccable servant with a silver tray. On the tray was a card. Ugly took it, confused. It said "Katie van Mohen" in embossed lettering and included a Fifth Avenue address.

"The recent Miss van Mohen requests your attendance for a shopping excursion at two o'clock today," he said. Ugly felt confused. The recent? Excursion? The servant seemed to be waiting for something. Was she supposed to give him a tip? He seemed to note her confusion. "Do you accept?" He prompted.

Ugly laughed nervously. He sounded as if he was proposing to her. Then she replied in the most gracious tone she could muster. "Certainly." Spot would be so proud of her.

XXX

Spot Conlon was also experiencing the discomforts of high society. He was conversing with Starvos Kravakalis, a young shipping heir who was used to getting his way. Well, Starvos was conversing anyway. He had just talked for half an hour straight about the skill, brilliance and subtlety required to run Daddy's million dollar company. Spot had little respect for people who had been given everything, due to the fact that he had fought his way tooth and nail for only a fraction of what they had been born with. And this Starvos guy seemed to think he was God's gift to the world. He was strutting around and tossing back his long blonde hair, speaking to Spot as if he was a cabin boy swabbing his deck.

"I want to you to run my boating operations in South Carolina," Starvos said, as if it was an order. Spot Conlon bristled. He did not take well to orders. Starvos seemed to notice his distasteful expression. "Listen, I know it must be _amusing_ running off with people's spare change, but this is a _real_ company. It will be hard work, but if you do well, there are many opportunities for progression."

_Is this guy serious_? Spot Conlon wondered incredulously. He could no more imagine himself tied down to a legitimate position then he could knitting a shawl. And he had really had enough of his superior attitude. Still, ever the politician, Spot would attempt to extract himself with minimal offense. There was still the chance that he might need a favor later. Spot stood to leave, holding his infamous temper in check. "I apologize, but at the moment, it's not a position I am interested in," his eyes blazed with offended pride.

Starvos looked completely shocked. This had never happened before. "You're certain?" Spot nodded. "Hmph…I know of you Americans and your love of freedom…even at the cost of _intelligence_." Spot put his hands in his pockets to keep them from flying at Stavros' face.

"If you'll excuse me," Spot murmured, anger bubbling over. Spot bowed out in a hurry and stormed out of the penthouse apartment.

A man on the street jostled him as he hurried by and Spot let loose with an indecent string of oaths. He huffed, feeling somewhat better when his eyes rose up to a girl staring directly at him. He felt an immediate flush. The girl smiled.

"My goodness! Rough day?" Kinea Cailum asked sympathetically. She was dressed in a lacy white frock that dipped low on her exquisite chest. Spot smiled ruefully. "Oh, you poor dear! May I…wait, I know how I can cheer you up!" Her smile was as powerful as the sun. "I'm going to see a good friend of mine; you absolutely must come with me!" She suggested enthusiastically.

"No, that's okay," Spot shook her off. "I've got some things to do," he said, thinking of Ugly.

"Are you sure?" She asked. He nodded. She sighed. "Well, I suppose I'll have to introduce you to Mr. Applegate another time." Spot's eyes widened.

"_Joe_ Applegate?" He demanded incredulously. "_The_ Joe Applegate?" Joe Applegate was a notorious kingpin with supposed mafia ties. He was a New York legend who had disappeared from the city two years ago, presumed dead. Spot had had no idea he was even back.

Kinea nodded. "Of course, we're old friends." Spot was completely floored. He couldn't believe he had just been invited to meet _the _Joe Applegate. His disastrous day had just taken a wild turn for the better. "Too bad you can't come, I'm not sure how long he'll be in town for this time," Kinea noted regretfully.

"Well, I guess I could stop by, if it's not for _too_ long," Spot said, trying not to let her in on the fact that he actually had absolutely no plans whatsoever.

She grinned, a glint I her eye. "Wonderful!" She exclaimed, linking his arm and leading him to her carriage.

XXX

"That looks absolutely ravishing on you!" Katie gushed as Ugly walked out of the dressing room in a striped yellow gown. Ugly smiled, Kate was such a sweetheart, and so kind to give her a glass or two of champagne to put her at ease.

Ugly twirled about in front of the mirror. She did look _ravishing_, if she did say so herself. She looked at Katie, who was dressed in black again. "Why do you always wear black?" Ugly asked.

Katie smiled. "I'm in mourning, you dolt!"

"Oh," Ugly said. She seemed quite cheery for someone who was in mourning. "Can I ask for whom?"

"My husband," Katie replied.

"I'm sorry," Ugly murmured.

"Don't be," Katie said, removing a piece of lint from her dress. "I love black," she grinned. Katie leaned forward, resting her head on her hands. "Have you ever been married?"

Ugly smiled. She didn't usually tell people this, but Katie seemed to be one of those people whom you could tell anything to. "Actually, I am married," she confessed.

Katie looked surprised. "You naughty girl! To whom?"

Ugly's smile widened. "Roan Xavier."

Katie was scandalized. "What? Are you serious?"

"Well, we're not even together…it's sort of a complicated story." Ugly liked Katie, but she wasn't quite ready to trust her with the secrets of her sordid past. "I actually have a boyfriend."

"_Miss Ugly Sendim_! Or should I say Mrs. Xavier, you are positively full of surprises!"

Ugly smiled. She had to admit it was a pretty scandalous situation. She turned back to her reflection. The dress was lovely, a little tight but… "Where is Kinea today?" Ugly asked. She liked the fiery little beauty, how could she not? Despite the slight twinges of jealousy.

"She's actually involved in a little _scandal_ of her own," Katie confided. "Don't breathe a word of this to anyone but…I think _Spot Conlon_ may have a bit of a thing for her."

The dress must have been too tight, because Ugly fainted dead away.

XXX

Spot Conlon arrived at back at The Coronation late that night positively elated, and it wasn't just the gin. He'd met _the _Joe Applegate and best of all, Joe had really liked him. They'd chatted away all night, sharing stories and laughs. Spot could not believe some of the things Joe had done! Narrow escapes, daring deeds. And Joe had actually enlisted him to help with an upcoming job. Spot could barely contain his excitement. The job would be difficult and require great skill, but he would be working with some of the best men in the city! He could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude to Kinea for introducing them. She was such a sweet and entertaining girl! And smart, too, Joe absolutely doted on her. Spot would owe her forever, he thought as he the elevator rolled up to the top floor, where another girl was waiting, and not-so-sweetly.

XXX

Ugly was mostly a shy and reserved girl, but she had a temper. Like many of those around her, she had grown up in oppression and abuse. She kept her frustrations inside most of the time, but when got away from her, watch out!

After her fainting spell, Ugly had asked to go home, claiming illness (which was quite true). Katie had tried desperately to convince her to stay, but to no avail. She had been too embarrassed to tell Kate that Spot Conlon was actually (supposedly) her boyfriend. She had spent the rest of the afternoon and the growing nighttime hours alternating between furious anger and hopeless despair. It was no secret that Ugly felt Spot Conlon was too good for her. No secret that she was hopelessly dependent on him. She was scared to death of losing him and angry at him for making her feel scared.

So when Spot Conlon walked in the door, grinning like an idiot after her hours of torture, the first thing Ugly did was yell, "where were you?"

Spot was taken aback. He certainly hadn't expected this as his homecoming. He was somewhat annoyed. "Jesus! What's your problem?" he demanded, rather un-classily.

"What's my problem? Tell me where you were and you'll know my problem," Ugly said dangerously. Her hands were twitching at her sides. Force of habit, she had spent part of her life as a trained killer, after all.

Spot was completely confused. "Have you been spending time with Roan?" he asked, thinking that Roan might have slipped her some of his drugs.

Ugly sighed in exasperation. "Kinea Cailum," she said, giving in. "That's my problem."

Spot was even more confused. Ugly had never shown signs of jealousy before. She had never had need to, and she certainly didn't need to now. Kinea was just a sweet, nice girl who had helped Spot score a job. How _did_ Ugly find out about Kinea anyway? "How'd you know I was with Kinea?" He asked. He realized, too late, that was the complete wrong thing to say.

"So, you were with her! I can't believe you Spot! Running around with that wicked witch!" So much for her admiration of Kinea.

Spot, being male, once more responded with the "wrong thing." "She's a nice girl," he defended.

Ugly was floored. "_A nice girl_? She's a money-grubbing, self-serving little whore!" Ugly's face was tear stained. She probably shouldn't have tried to console herself with whiskey.

"Who told you that?" Spot questioned.

"Roan did. They dated, or didn't she tell you?" Ugly yelled. Spot had completely lost his grasp on the situation.

"Okay, listen, just calm down," He walked over and put his hands on her shoulders. She shivered at his touch. His face was mere inches from hers and he was staring at her through his big, blue eyes. "Kinea helped me get an appointment with Joe Applegate, that's it. She's a nice girl, but I like someone else," he smiled wryly. Ugly took a shaky gulp of breath.

"You met Joe Applegate?" She whispered. Spot nodded, he knew Ugly would appreciate the name of the infamous Applegate.

"C'mon," he said, rubbing her shoulders. "Let's go to bed and I'll tell you all about it."

"Okay," Ugly breathed. He led her back to the room. Ugly couldn't stop the overwhelming wave of happiness and that elated sense that she was still the luckiest girl in the world.

XXX

So, why is it that gorgeous boys can talk themselves out of anything? Oh, yeah…

Anyway, lot of strange coincidences in this chapter. I mean, in all of Manhattan, for Kinea to turn up on the exact doorstep that Spot had just stormed out of! And on her way to Joe Applegate's, no less. Why is she friends with a mafia kingpin anyway? Leftovers from her relationship with Roan?

Anyway, how convenient for Kinea that Katie kept Ugly occupied while she skipped off with her boyfriend! And how nice of Katie to make the comment that incited Spot and Ugly's first official fight. So, what did Katie's husband die of anyway? Hopefully, Ugly won't start wanting to wear black, too, otherwise Roan might be in trouble!

Poor Ugly, though! It must be hard to have a man like Spot! Especially since half the world wants him bad. How will she keep him focused on her?

And is Spot really as clueless as he acts? For a smart boy, he sure is acting a bit dumb. (sigh) They all do…

Anyways, lots of scandal and intrigue! And still more to come…yikes!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Here is a chapter that will confirm that I am in fact ill, just kidding…Anyway, I obviously know a thing or two about addictions as I am currently addicted to writing my story. So I can relate to Roan's troubles...sort of...

XXX

Roan was walking the streets in the wee hours of the night completely strung out. He'd woken up from a drug-induced slumber to find himself entirely cleaned out of all things poppy. In a fit of paranoia, he'd railed at Kyro for stealing them, as Kyro looked on in mild amusement. It was fairly obvious that Roan had simply used them up. So now he had been impelled to the streets for an emergency fix, only to find he really couldn't remember where, or _who_, his current dealer was.

As he searched, he made up a song in his head (at least he thought it was in his head) that listed off all of his dealers names. It was a rather good song, too. He began wandering down a dark and deserted alley. He was sure one of his dealers lived in a dark and deserted alley. Or maybe he could just make one up. He would call him Charlie. _Charlie who lives in an alley_, he thought to himself.

Vaguely, he noticed two shadows appearing on either side of him. "Whathefuck?" He mumbled, automatically preparing for a fight. He spun around to see two more behind him. The four large men surround him and closed in. He put up a good fight, too, considering the state he was in. At one point his foot connected with someone's head, and later he bit someone's ankle. But while he stopped to contemplate whether he was awake or sleeping, he was pounded on the back of the head with solid steel. It felt sort of nice to black out.

XXX

When he came to, he slowly opened his eyes. God, he needed a fix. So desperately he actually jerked violently. The result was his face on the floor. He was tied to a chair, and the chair had toppled over. He felt it yanked heavily up, with him following behind.

"Stay the fuck still, boy," a familiar voice said. Roan peered up, slitting his eyes in the dim light. Sitting across from him, smoking a cigar and wearing a pin-stripe suit was Joe Applegate himself. He had a face like a sirloin steak and slicked-back hair.

"Fucking Christ," Roan breathed.

"Surprised to see me?" Applegate asked, pleased. He just couldn't get over this whole "back from the dead" piece. It was just too much fun.

Roan shrugged. "Listen, Apples, I'm real honored by this whole "captive" thing. I mean, it's real dramatic and all. But I kind of have better things to be doing," Roan said.

Applegate exhaled a cloud of smoke. He was regarding Roan critically and was sorry to see that the rumors were more then true. Roan looked like a corpse, insect-thin, shadow rimmed eyes, mangy hair. It disturbed him not a little to see greatness so wasted. "So I've heard…" he responded, unimpressed. "When I first heard he rumors that you'd…_lost your touch_, I didn't believe it. "Roan Xavier?" I said, "no way!"" he smoked along, peacefully.

Roan was starting to feel the shakes coming on. Not from fear, but from recession. He was desperate for drugs. But he tried his best to hide it. "That's so _sweet_ of you, Joe. You're a real class act, you know? I've always said that, a _real class act_," Roan said.

Applegate looked suddenly alarmed. "Jesus Christ, Xavier! You're shaking!" He exclaimed. He sighed in exasperation. "Do you have any idea how pathetic you look?" he demanded. "When Kinni confirmed that you had indeed _taken the plunge_, I considered taking action. I've always liked you, you know that, and it's a shame to see such talent go to waste. I considered locking you up, drying you out," Roan shuddered involuntarily. "But I've seen this too many times to be that naïve. I could lock you up for years and the moment I let you out of my sight, you'd still go running back to them." Roan had the strong and sudden urge to rip his arms out of the ropes that tied them. His shoulders strained with effort. "Jesus Christ!" Applegate said again, more wearily. He motioned to some of his guards to restrain him. Roan felt strong hands lock around his forearms, holding them in place. "Just sit the fuck still!" Applegate yelled, his legendary temper exploding suddenly. He took a colossal drag on his cigar. "All I want is to say my peace, and you'll do well to remember it," he took a breath in preparation. "This is it, Xavier, this is your one chance at life, at success, admiration, love," Applegate said with relish. "Don't throw it all away for nothing. _Nothing_, you here me? Because that's what your beloved drugs give you, _nothing_." Applegate looked quite pleased with himself.

"I've already had my share of lives, thanks," Roan replied. Applegate was surprised. This person was nothing like the boy he had known. It was uncanny and a little frightening. He may as well have been talking to a stranger. But he wasn't giving up that easy, Joe Applegate did not like to give up.

"You still running around with that blonde boy, that…" Applegate paused.

"Kyro," Roan filled in. Roan pointedly ignored his question, so Applegate knew the answer.

"Friendship? Well that's something any way, isn't it?" Roan continued to ignore him and Applegate concluded that he'd struck a chord. With a self-satisfied little smile he motioned to the guards. "Release him." Roan felt a jolt of exhilaration leap through his body. He was untied and immediately stood up to leave. As Roan approached the door, Applegate was hit with a sudden inspiration. "One last thing," he said. Roan would have elected to skip it, had he not been forcibly detained by a burly guard. The guard helped Roan turn back around. Applegate continued, "I met that Spot Conlon boy," Roan flinched in distaste and Applegate noted it with amusement. "Brilliant little kid…reminds me of you." Roan had the sudden urge to gag, which made him laugh a little. "But he'll go far because of that one key difference…" Roan knew Applegate wanted him to ask just what that difference was. Just like everyone else, Applegate wanted him to care, but he was over caring. That was the wonderful secret of drugs. Once you became addicted, nothing else mattered any more, except your next fix. Life was just a passing fancy. Caring was some silly thing that _other_ people did. Applegate regarded Roan's dreamy expression and realized that this was one battle he was better off just giving up on. He sighed a final time. "I surrender," he said sincerely, tossing his hands. "Go. Leave. Get the fuck out of my sight." Roan didn't need to be asked twice.

The waning night air stung his cheeks as he charged outside. He was excited, elated, alive. He'd just remembered where his dealer lived.

XXX

Ahh! The wonderful world of hard drugs! I would feel bad from Roan…except I really don't.

Anyways, Applegate again, hmmm. So he knows Roan, he knows Kinea and now he knows Spot? Could he be a part of the plot? (Wow, neat rhyme!)

So, Roan really may as well shoot himself in the head at this point, as he is completely useless to everyone! Poor Kyro, though! Why doesn't he do something to help him? Can you do anything to help a drug addict? Particularly when you occasionally "chase the dragon" (as Kyro does) yourself?

Anyways, hmmm…the plot thickens…and how are our lovebirds? We shall see…


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Wow, look out for this chapter…yikes!

xxx

Two voices drifted through the red door of the parlor. The maid, who was dusting the draperies, listened carefully, despite having no idea whom was speaking or what they were speaking about. It was an interesting conversation regardless.

"I have to be honest with you, I really don't see him as a threat," a gentleman's voice said firmly.

A woman's voice replied, sounding ruffled. "If he's not with us he's against us. Besides, he knows too much. He could ruin all of our plans on a whim." There was a pause, apparently the man was thinking. The maid stepped closer to the door, so she wouldn't miss his response. She heard a sigh.

"Well, if you really think so…do what you must. But I want no part in it, you understand?" The man demanded.

"I still don't understand why you're so soft on him!" The woman fumed.

"That's funny. I would think you, of all people, _would_ understand."

The maid heard footsteps approaching the door and darted from the room. She was forbidden to view the inhabitants of the house she served, on penalty of death.

XXX

"I can't take this anymore! I don't know why I even bother!" Spot Conlon huffed, charging into the bedroom he and Ugly shared. Ugly looked up from the vanity, where she was preparing for yet another night out, to view her red-faced boyfriend. She tried to hide a smile. He was funny when he was angry; although if she ever told him that…She had a feeling his current mood had something to do with Roan Xavier.

She stood up and walked over to him. "Poor baby, what's wrong?" She asked, only a little patronizingly. She had to take advantage of the rare moments that she had a cooler head then he.

Spot exhaled furiously. "It's just that…he's so…" he motioned with his hands, too angry to speak. He began to pace. Suddenly, he spun around to face her. "Can I kick him out? Please, can I just kick him out?" Ugly smiled to herself. Spot liked to pretend that the only reason he let Roan stay around was because of her, not because he was actually a little afraid of him. Spot still had the faint imprint of the scar on his forehead that he'd acquired the last time they'd tangoed.

"Now, Spot," Ugly said, diplomatically, "I'm sure we can work this out. Why don't you tell me the problem."

Spot threw his hands in the air and fell onto their bed. He lay for a while, staring up at the ceiling. Finally, his voice rose up from his inert form. "He won't come to the…thing tonight." Spot hated using words like "ball" or "dance"; apparently they weren't manly enough for him.

Ugly sighed. She didn't quite understand why Spot always insisted Roan come out with them. He certainly wasn't of any use to them there. Maybe it was because, despite how cocky he acted, Spot was scared to go alone. Maybe he felt, as she did, like an imposter. And maybe it was comforting to have Roan to cling to because Spot had once thought of him as the real deal. Roan had once been something of a hero to Spot, an enigma. And Spot still needed him as a talisman to legitimacy.

Ugly sighed again. She'd promised she'd help her man, and she knew what she had to do. "I'll go talk to him," she said, grudgingly. Spot sat up.

"Really?" he asked. Ugly nodded. Spot reached his hand out to her. "Come here," he demanded. And she was well rewarded for her service.

XXX

Ugly had had every intention of talking to Roan. She'd strode down the hallway, toward his lair, still high off of Spot's kisses. But as she got closer, she began to get cold feet, so she side-stepped his room in favor of Kyro's.

She knocked gently before entering and found Kyro lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He sat up and leaned against the wall, watching her with yellow eyes. Ugly had this strange image of him as a wolf, or some kind of animal because of the way he sort of cowered, keeping his eyes locked on her.

"Hi." She breathed. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been in his room. Or if she'd been in it at all. He tipped his chin in greeting. Ugly suddenly felt very awkward. It was weird to be around someone who never talked. It tended to make her want to babble on and on. It was especially awkward with Kyro because when he did talk, he'd say something deep and brilliant and make you feel like an idiot. And of course, there was that whole face-sucking history they shared. Still, Ugly's voice somehow rattled out, "Well, I'm here because Spot's upset because Roan won't come out tonight, as usual, and so I was hoping you could maybe talk to him…or something…"she finished lamely.

"Don't you absolutely hate those parties?" Kyro asked. It caught her off-guard.

"What?" she asked. But she knew the answer, and he knew she knew the answer, so he just looked at her pointedly. They were absolutely silent for a moment. Then Kyro stood up, grabbed a crumpled jacket off the floor and headed out. Ugly followed after him, trying to think of something to say, why did he always have to make her feel so stupid? But he walked into Roan's room, so she stopped short.

Ugly sighed and turned around. She would go back to Spot and just hope that Kyro would just do her the favor. He would have been disappointed to know that she ever questioned it.

XXX

Sure enough, Spot, Ugly and the ragtag crew all made it to the ball. The hall was lit, the company buzzed and the music swung. Ugly couldn't stop Kyro's question from popping up in her mind; especially when Kinea and Katie appeared in front of them holding drinks.

"Ugly! Sweetheart!" Katie squealed, grabbing onto her affectionately. Kinea smiled at her, then made a beeline for Spot, whispering something in his ear that made him smile. Ugly burned.

The group of them made there way toward the dancehall when all of the sudden, Katie stopped short.

"I've left my scarf!" She exclaimed.

"Oh no, you didn't!" Cried Kinea. "Where, at the hotel?"

Katie shook her head. "No, on that bench we stopped at," Katie had gone white. "It's my favorite scarf; I must go back and get it!"

"Of course you must," said Kinea, taking charge as usual. "But you mustn't go alone. Kyro, you must escort Katie back to that bench, she'll show you where it is." Kyro did not look happy to have orders shot at him from Kinea, but it was difficult to complain when you didn't open your mouth, so he let Katie drag him off. Kinea turned quickly back to Spot. "Now, Spot, you must come upstairs with me, there are some very important people I would like you to meet." Ugly scowled at her. She turned to Ugly, flashing her affectionate smile. "You must come, too, of course. It isn't right for Spot to just leave you alone at these things." Ugly couldn't help but feel a twinge of gratitude toward Kinea for pointing this out. Kinea reached out her arm and locked elbows with Ugly. Then she turned to Roan, shoving her drink into his hands. "I think the bar's over there, dear," she hissed. Ugly thought this was a bit rude, but they apparently had bad blood between them. Besides, it's not like Roan was known for his courtesy.

Roan took the drink and promptly left, without a word. He didn't even seem upset by Kinea's comment. Kinea smiled and pulled Ugly up the stairs, with Spot beside them.

XXX

Roan knew Kinea was up to something. Fortunately, he didn't care what. He headed toward the bar, which, by the way, was in the opposite direction Kinea had indicated. It felt sort of weird to be without Kyro, but Roan wasn't about to get sentimental about it. Instead, he downed Kinea's drink (which tasted terrible) and ordered another.

XXX

Kyro's comment was absolutely blazing through Ugly's head at this point. She was watching Kinea, in a performance of considerable skill, stroking and pleasing all of the VIPs upstairs. She introduced then to Spot and Ugly, gushing over them like they were a couple of show ponies and she the auctioneer. Ugly was uncomfortable and annoyed, but she tried to keep a happy face on for Spot, who seemed excited about all the people he was meeting and all the admiration they heaped on him. Ugly thought it was stupid and fake. But she would have to just keep that to herself.

XXX

For once, Roan was actually having a good time at one of these parties. He felt very high and alive. The colors seemed brighter. He would brush against things and feel a pleasant shiver run up his spine. He rubbed his hand. Oh my God! It felt so good. He looked over at the girl next to him. She had a small, young face, a little chubby but with soulful eyes. She had to be the prettiest girl he had ever seen. She looked nervous and uncomfortable. Her eyes kept darting around like she was afraid of something. Roan was staring. She looked at him. He smiled at her.

The girl couldn't help but smile back. There was something sort of dreamy about him. He looked so _mature_ in his nice suit. He had this strange glow about him, like he was the happiest person in the world. She couldn't understand why such an attractive, older guy would be looking at _her_. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks.

Roan saw her cheeks redden and thought it was possibly the sweetest thing in the world. It made him smile even more. "You're so pretty," he breathed. As she watched with wide, anxious eyes, he reached out his hand and brushed a lock of mousy hair behind her ear. The moment his fingers tips connected with her hair he felt a sensation of pleasure that nearly convulsed him. Holy fuck.

The girl smiled and blushed redder. No one had ever told her that before, why would they? She suddenly felt prettier. She was beautiful, she was a goddess, like all the girls at this party that she'd so envied. And he was her prince charming, a bit worn around the edges but ultimately winning. And so sexy. The girl blushed again. She wasn't supposed to think about that. But if he kept staring at her in that way, how could she not?

Roan smiled dreamily. He felt like he was dreaming. His life had become a fantasy of masterpiece proportions. He wanted to touch her. Again and again and again. "You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen," he said. He wanted to fuck her. Again and again and again.

XXX

_Oh my goodness!_ What has gotten into Roan (literally) and where can I get some? (just kidding)

But seriously…first of all, does Spot actually _like_ these parties? Because I'm starting to agree with Kyro. he needs to not let all these phonies go to his head.

Also, obviously some interesting _coincidences_ here, I sense a conspiracy, you can probably guess who's behind it all, but will the plan work? And what's the bigger plan? And will someone please figure it out and kick somebody's ass?

Hmmm…so, now that Roan is so…umm…_excited_, what will he do with that girl? Who is she? Why was she at the bar alone? Why was she acting so nervous?

And what about Kyro and Katie? Did they get lost? Why doesn't Kyro just ditch her? Did he sample her punch as well?

And poor, poor Ugly! So many problems! Her boyfriend is acting somewhat foolish while her ex seems to have all the sense in the world, and then she has that awful Kinea to discard of without looking like a jealous freak! Yikes, I am nervous! Aye caramba and a bientot mes amis…


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: So, this chappie is just taking us along toward the fabulous climax…

XXX

Ugly could not take much more of this. She didn't understand how Kinea could smile so much. Her face was starting to hurt. And Spot was completely ignoring her. Well, he wasn't exactly _ignoring _her; he was just absorbed in his various conversations. He did glance at Ugly frequently and smile sweetly. Nonetheless, Ugly felt like a hopeless failure in the social department. She excused herself to go to the powder room, anything to get away.

As she pushed through the crowds of people in the ballroom, she thought maybe she should just go home. She began walking faster and faster. She swung round a corner and ran straight into a young man in a nice suit.

"Fuck! I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed, before she could censor herself. The man looked shocked.

He tossed back his blonde hair and smiled mischievously. "That's quite alright, _milady_," he said in a thick accent. "Why all the haste?"

Ugly's head was pounding, damn champagne. "I don't- I just want to get the fuck out of here," Ugly confessed honestly. The young men looked as if he'd won the jackpot. Who didn't want a drunken girl with a dirty mouth?

"Why don't you come outside with me, get some fresh air?" he asked. Ugly nodded. Air was good. She was suffocating in these crowded rooms. He offered his arm.

Ugly refused it. "I have a boyfriend," she confessed. He looked as if that was inconsequential, so she added, "and a husband."

Ugly followed him out to the streets. The cool night air felt so good. It was relaxing just to be on the streets. They were where Ugly felt most at home.

But she hardly had time for respite. Chaotic noises began to emulate from the front room of the building. All of the sudden, a crowd of people formed. A police carriage and several mounted policeman rolled in from the streets. Ugly and the boy she was with strained to see what all the commotion was about.

Policemen scurried into the building. They exited, pushing back the crowd and dragging a boy who was barefoot and wrapped in a brown coat. He seemed somewhat dazed and allowed himself to be shoved along. The crowd was uproarious. Men and boys were straining to see, women shielded their eyes while secretly peeking. It was a genuine scandal.

"_Jesus Christ_," Ugly breathed.

"What wrong?" the boy asked from behind her.

"That's my husband," Ugly replied.

XXX

It was written up as a burglary. But the "unkempt" appearance of the criminal led to questions of just what exactly had been burgled. One particularly juicy rumor revolved around the mayor's niece, a twelve-year old girl who had been sent very suddenly back to her parents in Boston. No one, except possibly the demented criminal, knew for certain, which of course led to even more talk. Even the clear facts were scandalous enough to generate weeks of gossip. The culprit was Roan Xavier, an infamous underworld delinquent with a sloppy drug addiction. The police carriage he'd been taken away in had gone only a few blocks before it wheeled around and headed for the asylum instead. A few policemen had been left with some very interesting bruises and it was rumored that one may have lost his ability to have children. In the end, the criminal was strapped down on a bed and began the magical journey of detoxification.

XXX

Ugly had not been without her brothers in crime since they kidnapped her four years ago. After the scene outside, she'd searched the maddening crowd for Spot. She finally found him and they exchanged shocked expressions. In the chaos that surrounded them, he'd grabbed her hand. "Let's get out of here," he said. She followed blindly behind him as he swiftly and powerfully pushed through the crowd.

When they finally got away, Ugly took a deep breath. They were both in shock and said nothing. It wasn't until they reached their penthouse apartment that Ugly turned to Spot, who had a concentrated look, like his mind was traveling a mile a minute, and asked, "What are we going to do?"

Spot shrugged. "Nothing," he responded coolly. Ugly felt confused,

"Nothing?" She asked hollowly. Spot was walking over to the bar to pour himself a drink. He sighed in exasperation.

"Come on, Ugly, we all knew something like this was coming. Roan is getting to be kind of…" he motioned with his hands and took a sip of whiskey. "Maybe this will be good for him. Clean him up." Ugly didn't reply. She knew what he was saying made sense, but it still felt wrong. "Anyway," Spot continued softly, "Kinea thinks he was dragging down our reputation, and I think she's right." Ugly couldn't even respond. She couldn't believe he'd just said that. But the last thing she wanted to do was get into an argument about Kinea. She wanted to get into bed and go to sleep and maybe when she woke up, this whole night would have never happened. She couldn't deal with Spot right now. Everything seemed upside-down somehow but she couldn't really explain it. She also couldn't help but think that it all had something to do with Kinea. But Ugly was just too tired to care.

She shrugged. "I'm going to sleep," she said.

She crawled into bed and fell asleep immediately. But it didn't offer the comfort she had hoped. She awoke in the middle of the night in a sweat. Spot stirred beside her. He rolled around in the bed.

"Are you okay?" he asked sleepily.

"Where's Kyro?" Ugly asked.

Spot shrugged sleepily. "I don't know. I'm sure he's fine. Just go to sleep okay?" Spot was back asleep in a matter of minutes, but Ugly was wide awake. She was tempted to run over to Katie's right that minute, wake the whole household and demand where he'd disappeared to. A million thoughts galloped through her head. In particular, she couldn't stop thinking about Katie's dead husband.

XXX

The next three weeks were some of the worst in Ugly's life. And that was saying something. She felt out of sorts and adrift, but she kept trying to act like everything was fine. It was like she was playing a part. The supportive girlfriend; going to parties, smiling, doing routine jobs with Spot. She felt like she was just going through the motions; her mind was elsewhere. Spot seemed suspicious but unsure how to deal with it. He figured she just missed her friends. He had always known Roan and Kyro were important to her; that was part of the reason he'd joined their gang in the first place. But he felt hurt by the fact that he apparently wasn't enough for her.

And of course they never talked about it. Spot was too proud to admit that he felt she was distancing him and Ugly was too confused to sort it out. She also had a slight twinge of betrayal as they continued to run into Kinea and Katie everywhere. Kinea would smile her phony smile and then drag Spot around or whisper confidentially in his ear. Katie was always trying to get Ugly to "have fun" and Ugly was becoming increasingly annoyed with her. The morning after the arrest, Ugly had gone straight to Katie's apartment to ask about Kyro. Katie claimed he'd disappeared after they'd returned to the party. She seemed genuinely irritated by it and had no idea where he'd gone.

Ugly wanted more than anything to talk to Spot about the strange feeling she was getting about Kinea and Katie, but every time she tried to bring it up, he just brushed it off like it was nothing. He'd tell her to not be jealous, he only cared about her, Kinea was just helping him with work and blah, blah, blah. Ugly had grown tired of it all. She had no one to talk to. Her "family" was in the insane asylum/missing, her boyfriend was spending way too much time with a suspicious girl and the only person who wanted to befriend her may or may not have killed her husband. All in all, it was a rather fucked up situation.

XXX

The maid was listening in again. It was the same voices as before and an equally intense conversation.

"So, it's on its way," the male voice said. There was a pause. "You really think you can handle this?"

"Of course I can," hissed the female voice. "How long until it gets here?"

"A month, maybe less."

"Piece of cake," she said simply. "Only one month and it's _all_ ours."

Once again, the maid heard approaching footsteps and ran, eager to share this new bit of interesting conversation with the rest of the household.

XXX

Ugly had decided it was time for a conjugal visit. She needed help and in the past, Roan had managed to get her out of some tricky situations. She knew there relationship had been strained lately, but he was still her friend, after all. And he apparently knew Kinea pretty well. Maybe he could tell her something incriminating, and then she could tell Spot and he'd stay the hell away from her. Ugly was becoming desperate.

She exited the hired cart and approached the asylum with trepidation, which she imagined was not uncommon. She held in her hand her marriage license, which she'd dug out of Roan's drawers. He had scrawled on it in his messy hand "leverage." It was that kind of cold, hard thinking that Ugly hoped could get her out of this bad situation.

The asylum was in a dilapidated building that reeked worse than anything Ugly could think of. She went through paperwork at the front desk. The man behind the counter wore a bleached white uniform and had a large under-bite. After she'd filled out some seemingly arbitrary forms, another man in white entered the waiting room.

"Mrs. Xavier?" He asked, looking around the room as if Ugly wasn't the only visitor there. He had a big face and looked as if he was trying desperately to keep a positive attitude. It didn't seem to be working.

She followed him down a long and dim hallway with many doors. Ugly could hear moaning and thrashing through the rotting walls. She had gooseflesh and didn't even realize the man was talking to her. "...I just hope he doesn't upset you. We've found him to be quite delusional and violent since he's come down from the drugs. It looks like we'll have to hold onto him for a while. There's still hope, though," he smiled wearily. "The court date is in a week, as I'm sure you know. I will, of course, stand behind the insanity plea." They had reached a door and the man was fiddling with his keys. "We try to have the utmost amount of caution with visitors, so he's just been sedated. He may be a bit groggy." The man looked at her, worry etched in his face. It was obvious that he felt terrible that a dear little wife would have to see her husband in such a state. _If only he knew_, thought Ugly.

He opened the door and Ugly followed him into the room. It was small and bare; only a table and three chairs, one of which was occupied.

"If it isn't my dearest wife," Roan sounded like he was really, really stoned. He looked blissfully relaxed. His dark hair was tousled and his hands were cuffed.

The doctor offered her a chair and sat beside her. Ugly looked at Roan, trying to work out exactly how to broach the subject of Kinea with the doctor in the room. She thought that Roan looked better. He was still pale as death but looked as if he might have had a meal at some point.

Roan, always eager to hear the sound of his own voice, began talking away. "I hope you haven't missed me, dear. Although I suppose you've missed the sex," apparently they hadn't sedated his sense of humor. He looked at the doctor. "You wouldn't know it, Benny, but this kid's a wench in the sack." He turned back to Ugly. "Have you met Benny? He's been a real help, really _enlightening_. He helped me realize that I've been living in an _unhealthy_ situation. And that I'm _delusional_ and _violent_. I have a bad temper, did you know that? Know what else I like about Benny? He's real gentle when he gives it up the ass." The doctor turned red and looked at Ugly apologetically.

Ugly cleared her throat and Roan glared at her. It was the first time that it crossed her mind that he might not actually be happy to see her. "There's…umm…some trouble at home…with, um, Kinea," Ugly said.

Roan was definitely not happy. He'd just spent three weeks in absolute hell coming down from heroin and here his supposed friend had showed up only to get his help with _her_ "problems." He had a very strong and sudden urge to show her just what a real problem was. At least it made what he was about to do a bit easier.

He sat calmly for a moment, meditating. Then, he sprang from his chair toward Ugly. He slid a hand up her leg and pulled her knife from her garter. In a flickering, his chained hands were around her neck, and the knife was at her throat. The doctor was on his feet with his hands in the air.

"Now, Roan," he was saying, "You know you don't want to do that, that's your wife."

"Fuck my wife!" Roan snarled, his voice was clear and sharp. He didn't seem drugged up now. "If you don't give me your fucking keys, I swear I'll slit her throat." Roan pushed the knife against her skin. Ugly felt a sharp pain as her skin tore open and blood slid down her neck.

"Please!" She said, to both the doctor and Roan. She wasn't just playing along, she honestly feared for her life.

The doctor fumbled with the keys. "Give them to her," Roan ordered. He placed them in Ugly's shaking hands. "Stand back," he ordered him. "Now, darling, get these things of me," he motioned with the cuffs. The knife was still pressed against her neck as she searched for the key and unlocked the cuffs. They fell to the floor. "C'mon then darling," Roan said, pulling her toward the door. He then pushed ahead, grabbed her hand and they ran down the hallway and through the sitting room to the outside. Ugly could hear someone yelling to call the police. Her carriage was waiting on the street. Roan let go of Ugly and jumped up to the driver's seat. "Sorry, sweetheart," he said to the driver as he knocked him off the carriage. Acting on impulse, Ugly jumped up next to him as he grabbed the reins and smacked the horses into a gallop. They raced through the busy New York streets at a breakneck speed. Roan was concentrating intently. Ugly was trying her best to hold on. After a long and twisted ride, they made it out of the crowded center and Roan pulled the horses to a stop. He gave Ugly an irritated look and hopped off the carriage. She jumped off and followed him. She was rather irritated herself, seeing as he'd just nearly slit her throat.

"Where are you going?" She demanded. He was walking quickly. The few people on the streets looked at them curiously. Roan was, after all, still wearing his asylum-issued clothing.

"I was serious about what I said back there. I'm in an _unhealthy_ situation. I need to get away, start a new life or something," he said, quickening his pace.

"I thought you'd been sedated?" Ugly said, struggling to keep up.

Roan smiled. "Honey, it would take a lot more drugs then that to get me loaded."

"Where are you going?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I gotta lay low for a while. I'm a fucking wanted man again."

"Will you leave the city?" She asked.

He stopped and looked at her like she was crazy. Then he sighed in a very un-Roan-like way. "Look, kid, I think you and Conlon have got a great thing going, but it's not really…_me_. We had our fun but, I'd really rather just pretend like we never met."

"What?" Ugly asked, confused.

"I mean, this is the end of the line for us. This is good-bye." Ugly was extremely confused. What the fuck was he talking about? He never wanted to see her again? But weren't they friends? You weren't supposed to do that to your friends.

"What about Kyro?" She suddenly remembered. "Have you seen him at all?"

Roan shook his head. "He's probably disappeared too. He gets it. This is the way it goes, baby. Relationships have their natural course. People need each other and then they don't. That's it." He looked like he couldn't wait to get away from her. Ugly couldn't understand what she'd done wrong. She'd never known Roan to make sense, but she'd still assumed he'd always be there, and Kyro, too. They were her _family_.

"But I need your help!" She pleaded. She couldn't let him go; she needed him to save her. Just one last time. She grabbed his hand in desperation.

He flung her hands off, his temper flaring. "Get the fuck off of me, okay? Just get the fuck away!" He demanded. Ugly was shocked. But she suddenly understood. It was written clearly in his eyes. Roan hated her. She'd been suspecting it for the past several months. Perhaps now that the drugs had been stripped away, his true feelings could no longer be harnessed. And she felt responsible. Ever since Spot had come along, she had neglected him and Kyro. She had ignored them, taken them for granted. She had acted like she was better than they were. She had been so heady and happy in love. And now that she was in trouble, now that she needed them, she suddenly wanted their friendship again. Ugly saw it all so clearly and she felt terrible.

"I'm sorry, Roan, I'm so sorry," she sputtered. Her unhappiness with herself bubbled over so much that she couldn't even look at him. She turned and ran through the streets. She ran and she ran with her skirt furling out behind her. She ran to her only friend in the world. He was the only one who could save her now.

XXX

Aye Caramba! Why am I always left feeling sorry for Ugly? Get some backbone girl!

So, hmmm…will Spotty-kins be able to save his lady love? Even though he is a part of the problem?

And what about Roan and his "new life"? Is he going to clean up his act or just find a new way to threaten and torment people?

And where has Kyro gone? Will he be back?

And what is coming in a "month or less"? What does it mean for our characters?

And why doesn't Kinea just die in a freak accident?

And is the gang really better together, or is Roan right? Will Ugly be able to face Kinea and figure out what is so suspicious about her alone? Will she finally confront Spot and not let him distract her with his cuteness?

Either way, things are going to start to get more exciting and Spot-ilicious I promise…

PS People who review are pretty! (Thank God for stats anyway!)


	9. Chapter 9

"Jesus Christ! Where have you been?" Ugly was enveloped in a pair of unexpected arms. Kinea had greeted her at the door of her apartment. Ugly stood stiffly, somewhat baffled. "Sybil," Kinea ordered, motioning to a girl lurking behind her, "send someone out to find Spot, we've found her." Ugly felt completely confused as Kinea pulled her toward the couch. "We were so worried!" She was saying.

"Worried about what?" Ugly found her voice.

Kinea sat her down on the couch. "Well, it was in the evening edition, dear; Roan escaping, holding you hostage," she explained. "Spot was…well, he's pretty upset. I told him not to worry but, you know."

"Where is he?"

"Why, he's looking for you, of course," Kinea responded. Ugly felt as if she'd stepped through the looking glass. She was sure she hated Kinea, but whenever she was around her she was so nice and polite. She had just been on her way to tell Spot to stay away from her and now they were talking as she poured them drinks. She handed Ugly a glass. "Let me just tell you, that boy thinks the world of you," Kinea was saying. "I've never seen someone more devoted." Kinea sat down across from her.

"Where's Katie?" Ugly asked. Katie usually followed behind Kinea like a lapdog.

Kinea shrugged. "She's disappeared again. She does that sometimes. She'll just drop off the face of the earth for a few days," Kinea took a sip of her drink. "Her nickname is "Vanishing Kate". Because of that and, of course, what happened to her husband."

"What happened to her husband?" Ugly's curiosity was piqued.

Kinea took another sip of her drink for dramatic effect. Then she said, with relish, "he disappeared."

XXX

Roan had a fantastic idea. He was walking to the Brooklyn Bridge. His plan was to jump off…and see what happened. The scary thing was, he was completely sober. This was his logical thought process without drugs. It was late at night, but he still bowed his head to keep himself from being recognized on the streets. He didn't want to go back to the asylum; he wanted to jump off the bridge.

But when he got there, he saw that he would have to wait his turn. The bridge was deserted except for one sole person. It was a girl in a dark dress. She was perched on the railing, one frail arm grasping a cable, teetering on the edge. Roan sped up; he wanted to talk to her. Obviously, they had something in common.

"Hold on a second," he called out. The girl turned around to face him. Her face was sad but oddly tearless. He recognized her; it was Kinea's friend Katie.

"Hiya," she said, stepping down onto the sidewalk like she'd been doing something perfectly normal. "I thought you were in the nuthouse," she continued, folding her arms across her chest like she was cold. She looked so small and fragile.

"Yeah," Roan replied. "It was fun but…I got bored." Katie fumbled for a cigarette, her hands were shaking. Roan watched her. He couldn't help feeling bad for her. She seemed pretty fucked up.

"It's pot," she said about the toque. "Do you want one?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Roan replied.

XXX

"He disappeared?" Ugly asked, incredulously. She couldn't help but be entranced by this dirty piece of gossip. Kinea nodded, wide eyed.

"Nobody knows what happened to him. He was working for the shipping business, and one day he went to do a job and he never came back," Kinea finished.

Ugly felt a sudden dip in her stomach. "I haven't seen Kyro since that night they left together," she said.

Kinea leaned back in her chair. "I'm not suggesting Katie killed her husband," she said, distastefully. "She doesn't go to work _with_ him. She's still pretty messed up about it, though."

"Do you have any idea where Kyro might have gone?" Ugly asked. She missed him.

Kinea shrugged. "He's your friend, not mine. Kyro doesn't like me."

"Why not?"

"Because of what happened with Roan," Kinea said. Ugly took a sip of her drink. Even though she hated Kinea, she had to admit, it was nice to have a conversation with someone.

"What _did_ happen with Roan?" Ugly asked.

Kinea looked as if she didn't really want to talk about it, but she did anyway. "I don't know…we dated and…Listen, don't hold this against me, okay?" Kinea asked.

"Of course I won't, Ugly said. "Trust me, I know all about doing things you regret."

Kinea took a deep breath. "I used to be a whore and Roan didn't know. So we started dating, and I…well, I kept doing it behind his back and, eventually he, umm…he found out. So you can probably guess the rest…" Ugly nodded. "So anyway, we broke up and I ran off to Greece with this other guy and that's it." Ugly had never seen Kinea seem so human.

"Did you love him?" Ugly asked. It was sort of weird to think about someone being in love with Roan.

Kinea shrugged. "I guess as much as a person like me can ever hope to love someone," her eyes were shiny and Ugly felt bad for having asked. She took another sip of her drink. She couldn't suppress a wicked feeling of joy at Kinea's being unhappy.

XXX

"I just don't understand," Katie was mumbling. "Why can't I just have fun all the time?" She was lying back on top of Roan, with her head on his chest. They were still on the bridge, looking up at the naked night sky. Roan's chin was on her head. They were both so high that it felt as if their bodies had melded together. It felt nice.

"I know, really. You should be able to, baby. You should just have a fucking good time all the time, you know?" Roan mumbled back, taking another hit.

"I just…" Katie drifted off for a second. "I just feel so sad sometimes. I feel like it's chasing me, and I have to get away. I'll do anything to get away." Roan felt a tug in his heart. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against him.

"I know, baby, I know," he whispered back. He kissed her head. "But I feel better with you here. Do you feel better?"

She snuggled in deeper. She could feel his heart beating beneath her, inside her. "I feel _so much_ better," she said.

XXX

Spot burst into the room and looked around for a moment in panic until his eyes rested on Ugly. He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her. Ugly felt her heart surge with joy as his body pressed against hers.

"Jesus! You stupid little girl," he said, sweetly. He kissed her ear. "I was so worried about you." He held her in his arms and Ugly had never felt so loved in all her life.

Finally, he pulled away and looked into her eyes. "Are you okay? Is everything okay?" he scanned her body like he was looking for missing limbs or bullet holes. He saw the mark on her neck. He rubbed his finger across it, gently. "What happened? Did he do that to you?" He demanded, eyes flashing.

Ugly's hand flew up to her neck. "Don't worry, I'm fine," she said, softly. "I'm _so_ fine." She looked into his eyes and she felt so happy. So giddy and perfect and so…she couldn't even explain. She wanted to feel like this forever and ever and ever.

He stared back and all the worry and anger was swept away by the overwhelming love he felt. He kissed her, because he couldn't do anything else. She sunk into his kisses and wondered how she could ever be unhappy about anything when she had a boy like him.

XXX

Kinea let herself out. The joyful reunion really made her sick. And, she had to admit, jealous. But mostly sick. She also realized that she would without a doubt have to change plans if she wanted to make her deadline. Not that it would be a problem. She played her best when the pressure was on.

XXX

A/N: Awww…what a romantic chapter! So, hmm…where is this all going? We shall see…

So, Roan and Katie? Kind of random (let's here it for hooking up with randoms!) Will it last? Do we want it to? Is Katie evil or does she just have weird friends? Either way, Roan is a murderous criminal so I guess it doesn't much matter…

And where is Kyro? Did Katie make him "disappear" or is it just a strange coincidence?

And then there's Spot and Ugly, who make me jealous. How _could_ you ever complain with the gorgeous Spot as your devoted boyfriend?

And, of course, Kinea. Do you feel bad for her at all? Me neither…you reap what you sow after all. Anyways, what is she up to and how does it involve our characters? Anyway, the "deadline" is approaching so I guess we shall see…


	10. Chapter 10

XXX

Katie and Roan held hands as they walked together through the city of the night. It felt nice to hold onto something in the dark. They meandered through the streets in no hurry, with nowhere to go. Roan had switched to the backseat approach to life, so it was nice to be led by a pretty face.

"They'll be looking for you," Katie said, glancing at faces on the street.

"Are you worried about me?" Roan asked.

"I'm not worried about anything," Katie answered honestly.

They were silent for a few blocks. "I wonder where Kyro's ran off to," Roan mused, looking up at the darkened windows above.

"I know where he is," Katie said. Roan stopped in his tracks and looked at her.

"You do?"

Katie nodded. "Do you want to see him?"

Roan shrugged. "Sure."

They walked slowly toward the bay until they reached a seedy bar along the waterfront. A heavy-set man with a moustache stood in front of a green door. Kate approached him and Roan trailed her like a puppy.

"Is Ferris Ember still here?" Katie asked the man. He jerked his head toward the inside in the affirmative. Roan followed Katie through the door.

XXX

"So, what did _you _do today?" Ugly asked Spot. They were laying on their stomachs amidst the white sheets of their king bed. Neither of them could fall asleep, so they talked by the light of a lantern.

"You mean besides look all over for _you_?" He asked, teasingly. He reached out and touched her hair to confirm that she was really there.

"Yes, besides that."

"Nothing." He responded.

She gave him a skeptical look. "Spot Conlon, never in my life have I know you to do "nothing." You can't even sit still for five minutes."

Spot shrugged. "Now you know how I felt," he mumbled, "not knowing where you'd gone." He was picking at something on his pillow, avoiding her gaze. He looked about ten years old.

"I'm sorry about that."

He looked at her. "Something could have happened to you, you know?" He said seriously. She had never heard him voice his concern for her like this. He tended to keep his emotions bottled up. His confession caused her to feel an outpouring of love for him. She slid over to him on the bed and he put his arms around her and pulled her to him. She could feel his hard body beneath the sheets. He kissed her forehead. "I don't ever want you to leave my sight again. Do you understand me? Ever again."

XXX

Kyro rolled his hand over. Yet another straight.

"This is fucking horseshit!" one of three other men at the table exclaimed. "How am I supposed to play with him staring like that?" He asked, motioning to Kyro. Kyro curled his lip in disgust. As if he actually wanted to look at this guy. He had a pock-marked face and an enormous nose. Kyro swept his winnings across the table.

"Just relax, Gary. Jesus," a man with large lips said in irritation.

"Then why don't you pay for my next fucking hand? I need to win my money back," the zitty one whined, shooting a threatening look at Kyro. "Where the fuck did you come from anyway, Ferris? You show up one day out of the blue, screw the boss' daughter, and I haven't won a game since." The man stopped when he realized Kyro was no longer paying attention to him. Instead, Kyro was using his 'stare' for two figures at the front door.

A boy and a girl stood at the entrance with their hands locked. The boy had dark, messy hair and a vacant look and the girl had a tiny frame and high cheekbones. The two boys' eyes are locked for a good minute. Whatever passed between them was a mystery to everyone else in the room. Then Katie took action, pulling Roan forward. "We'll be upstairs, Ferris," she said.

XXX

After several minutes of kissing, Spot and Ugly broke for air. Ugly rolled back onto her stomach. "What do you mean, 'you never want me out of your sight'?" Ugly asked. She couldn't help but feel that that was a sort of strange thing to say. Spot was staring at her with his big, blue eyes. His fingers were playing along her arm.

"I just think it would be safer. I don't like worrying about you," he said in a soft voice. Ugly realized that the events of the day had really shaken him up. And she had no desire to contest him because she didn't want to be without him either. She wanted him so badly; she wanted to _be_ him, to be part of him. She closed the gap between them on the bed. They wrapped their arms around each other and held each other as close as they possibly could.

XXX

Katie led Roan to an apartment up the stairs. The front room opened out to the kitchen. A girl was cooking something over the fireplace. She looked up when they entered. Her face was deliciously plain and she had chin-length brown hair.

"This is Finn," Katie said to Roan. "Finn, this is a friend of mine." Finn lifted the corner of her lips the tiniest bit in recognition, then went back to her cooking. "Come back here," Katie said. She pulled up a blanket of cloth that hung across the corner of the room and pulled him down to a mattress and a bed of purple pillows.

They laid down, eyes fastened to each other.

"So, just to explain," Katie said breathlessly. "After you were arrested, _he_ needed a place to stay, so I hooked him up with Finn. Her dad used to be my dealer...I came up with the name Ferris Ember, too. Don't you think it's pretty?" Katie was fast getting the idea that Roan didn't care. Not about _that_ anyway. Katie felt her heart pounding. Her stomach was queasy. "Tell me about you," she said quickly. She felt scared, but in a good way.

Roan reached out his hand and ran his fingers through her fine, straight hair. "I feel like my life's just been going full steam since I was born. Lately, I just want it to stop," Roan confessed. His recent physical and emotional torment had left him in a position he never though he'd find himself in. He was vulnerable.

Katie couldn't understand why she felt so incredibly attracted to him. He looked the way she felt, like he was barely hanging on. But maybe, if they held onto each other…

Katie's eyes were wide as he slowly moved his body so that it hung over hers. They stayed frozen for a moment. His mouth was inches from hers. And then it wasn't. And they were kissing and kissing and she didn't care. She didn't care about anything at all.

XXX

A/N: Holy romance novel, Batman!

So, I know you all really missed Kinea in this chapter. But don't worry, she'll be showing her arithmetically-perfect features soon! Yippee!

So, Spot and Ugly are starting to smell like obsession, and I don't mean the Calvin Klein perfume…

And then there's Roan and Katie, who can care about nothing together forever and ever and ever…

Speaking of Katie, she seems to have a strange knack for distraction…hmm…suspicion…

And the return of Kyro, who is apparently taking a day off (haha I am so funny). So, what has he been up to with that girl that likes to cook?

Jeez, lots of romance! But love is key to the plot and I just kind of like it too, awww. Anyway, hmm…mystery and motives and more to come…


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: A series of unfortunate events have left me grounded. Grr…so I may just spit the rest out. Hopefully I won't release my latent anger on my characters. Grrr again, for effect.

XXX

Moments after they had had sex, Katie started crying; but not in the sweet, girly, emotional way. She was sobbing violently; her whole body quaked with fierce tremors. There was an awkward moment where Roan was unsure what to do. This had definitely never happened before. His first impulse was to slap her. Instead, he just sat their looking at her in confusion.

She kept right on sobbing, occasionally gasping for breath. This really wasn't Roan's element. Despite his recent sensitivity, he wasn't exactly the "pat on the back", "it's all right" type. So after a few minutes, he got up and left.

He exited the makeshift bedroom and entered the kitchen, where Finn was putting chicken on the counter. She looked at Roan in a somewhat amused way, like she was holding back a smile. Roan took a seat at the counter, for lack of anything else to do. Katie could be heard crying on behind the curtain.

"Does she do that a lot?" Roan asked.

"No," Finn answered, cracking a grin and turning back to the kitchen so she could laugh a little to herself.

"Fucking ridiculous," Roan said, cutting off a piece of chicken and putting it on a plate.

Just then Kyro entered the room. He shot an annoyed look toward the crying sounds of Katie and then looked at Finn for enlightenment.

Finn nodded toward Roan as an explanation. Kyro sat down next to Roan and they looked at one another for a moment before busting up laughing; partially because some girl was in hysterics after fucking Roan and partially because they were together again. After their laughter had died down, they dove into the chicken like children. "Do you two know each other?" Finn asked.

"Not really," Roan replied. "We just fucked once, and he's still choked up about it."

XXX

Ugly Sendim spent all of the next morning in bed with Spot Conlon. It was, of course, fantastic. And then they dressed together, walked down the street together, robbed fifty dollars off a mugger together. Life was perfect. And then they saw Kinea.

"Ugly, dear, how are you?" Kinea asked, sweetly.

"Fantastic," Ugly replied truthfully and Spot wrapped his arm around her.

"I'm _so _lucky to have run into you! I'm actually on my way to see Joe Applegate, and I was hoping you could come, Spot, to talk about _you know_," Kinea said. Ugly shot Spot a suspicious look. What exactly was _you know_?

"She's coming too," Spot said firmly, tightening his grip on Ugly.

"Of course," Kinea said smoothly. "I've been telling Joe we ought to get her in on it for ever so long." Kinea smiled sincerely at Ugly. "Come along then," she said, linking Ugly's arm on the opposite side and leading the couple down the street.

XXX

Katie had cried herself to sleep while Kyro and Roan had spent the night smoking and drinking like old times. Finn had stayed up with them for a while, but eventually fell asleep too.

The next morning, Roan was unsure what to do around Katie. He certainly didn't want to set her off crying again. Unfortunately, he also wasn't the most sensitive guy in the world. So, over a breakfast cooked by Finn, he asked Katie conversationally, "So what the fuck was that crying shit anyway?"

Katie looked at Finn and Kyro, slightly pinking with embarrassment. "Don't worry about it," she said under her breath as she played with her eggs.

"Well, it was pretty fucking weird, I think," Roan said. Katie looked at Roan. He seemed different somehow, more alive. Fucking men, you had sex with them and they turned into cocky fucking bastards.

Katie was hung over and tired and had nothing more to say than, "Fuck off."

"Why the fuck were you crying?" Roan said. Katie was starting to lose her grip on things. She had tendency to do that.

"Because the last time I had sex was with my dead husband, you bastard," she said, her voice going a bit jagged.

"I hope he was still alive when you had it," Roan said to his eggs. Kyro sniggered helplessly. Katie picked up her plate and chucked it at Roan's head. Roan looked at her in surprise and she lunged at him around the table and knocked him to the floor. He fought back and after much kicking and hitting and yelling, "You fucking bastard!"; she was underneath him and they abruptly began making out in animalistic fashion.

"Are you going to cry about this sweetheart?" Roan asked, between ferocious kisses.

"Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you," Katie replied, kissing him back.

XXX

"It's so nice to finally meet you," Joe Applegate said amidst swirls of cigar smoke. "I've heard so much about you. You're famous in these parts, best female assassin in New York," he praised.

"I don't really do that anymore," Ugly replied, looking at her shoes. She had expected Applegate to look different, more sophisticated. He looked to her like a sweaty ham.

"Good for you," Applegate said, but he didn't seem to mean it. "So, has Conlon told you anything about the job?" he asked. Spot shook his head. They were in a red velvet sitting room in one of Applegate's private apartments. There were four large black dogs lying scattered on the floor. Spot couldn't stop looking at them. Having once been a paper boy, he had a fairly negative view on canines. "Good boy," Applegate praised Spot for his secrecy. Ugly, on the other hand, was somewhat annoyed by it. She'd thought they told one another everything. Although it did make sense to use discretion with plans involving one of the most notorious criminals in New York. "I can't tell you much yet. Basically it's a heist. It involves a train and some merchandise that will be arriving shortly. Thanks to certain sources," he glanced at Kinea appraisingly, "only we know about it." Ugly listened attentively. She had every intention of succeeding in whatever job it was that Spot had kept secret from her; from her and not from Kinea. She would help to complete it and show the both of them, and Applegate too. "Details about your specific jobs are being worked out now. But I will say this, the _merchandise_ on that train is worth a small fortune. It won't be an easy job to do. But if you complete it, you will never have need of another dime as long as you live."

XXX

"Your friends are in trouble."

"What?" Roan turned to Katie. They were sitting and smoking on the fire escape of Finn's apartment, where they'd holed up for the past week or so in bohemian rhapsody.

Katie looked at him, seriously and said in slow, careful pacing, "your friends are in trouble."

"Who, Kyro?" Roan asked, taking another drag on his cigarette.

"No, Conlon and Ugly," Katie said.

Roan shrugged. "I don't really give a shit about them at the moment," he said, staring out at the horizon, which, this being New York, consisted of the blank brick walls of numberless tenements.

"Well that's terribly sweet of you," Katie said, standing up.

"What can I say? I'm a sweet guy," Roan joked. Katie narrowed her eyes at him in annoyance and climbed back into the apartment through the window.

XXX

"You're mad at me."

"No, I'm not," Ugly replied. She and Spot were sitting on the couch in the living room of their apartment. They'd just arrived home from a routine job. They'd stopped by an old friend to make sure he was keeping himself in line. Unfortunately, he wasn't, so they confiscated the weapons and left him shaking in his boots.

Spot moved closer to her on the couch, staring at her with his all-seeing eyes. "You don't think I can tell when you're mad at me?" he asked.

"I'm not mad," Ugly replied, gazing around the apartment to avoid his eyes. "I'm just in a bad mood, that's all."

"Why are you in a bad mood?"

She tossed her shoulders in irritation. "I don't know, I'm just annoyed."

"Why are you annoyed?" Spot asked, purposely trying to be annoying. He just wanted her to get whatever had been bothering her for the past week out. Although he had his suspicions as to what it was.

"I just am tired of you watching over me every Goddamn second!" Ugly burst out. She hadn't intended for it to come out like that. But that was usually how it worked with her. The words always came out warped by her temper. Fortunately, Spot knew this, so he didn't take offense.

Instead, he decided to be nice and direct her toward what he knew was the point of her little outburst. "And what is it you would do if I wasn't "watching over" you?" he asked. He was pulling at a loose thread on the couch, his eyes hidden by his grey newsboy cap.

Spot knew the answer and Ugly knew he knew the answer, so she figured she may as well just fucking say it. "I just want to know where they are, if they're all right," she said, referring to Roan and Kyro. "They're still my friends, no matter what they may say."

Spot tried not to show his annoyance with this. He may be overly-confident most of the time, but he was also a jealous guy and he hated that the same guys that he felt slightly threatened by, were also the ones that had a strange hold on his girlfriend. "Listen, babe, I haven't heard a word about them, from anyone. You know we've asked. I really think they must have just left town," he said calmly.

"No, they wouldn't leave New York. I know they're here," she replied defiantly.

"So what? You want me to send you off to look for them? So _he_ can slit your throat for real this time? Look, Ugly, I know you think they're your friends but…" Spot tried not to let his temper get the best of them. Bad experience mixed with envy had made him not a big fan of Roan and Kyro. He was tempted to tell her that they didn't give a shit about her, that they were dangerous self-serving criminals, who were just as likely to kill her as to kiss her. But looking at her face, which was so full of hope and relentless faith in the good of people, he just couldn't. "You have to let me look with you, okay? You just have to," he conceded.

Ugly consented, although she had every intention of sneaking away at the first possible chance.

XXX

"I'm going to go insane here!" Roan exclaimed to Kyro, who was eating toast. He had just sat down next to him at the counter of their recent lodgings. Kyro considered this an amusing threat, as most people would agree that he'd already crossed that line long ago. "_She's_ not talking to me, you never talk and you managed to find yourself a girl who talks nearly less. This is fucking ridiculous!" Kyro's lips turned up in a smile as he mocked Roan with continued silence. Finn was working downstairs at the bar and Katie sitting in an armchair in the corner, focusing fiercely on reading a book. "I'm going to become a monk. Do you hear that Katie?" he yelled at her. She flinched slightly but continued reading. "So, you can just read your little fucking book forever and ever because monks don't speak or eat or fuck. And I'll probably ascend to heaven in about five minutes, so you'll just have to save my _friends_ alone." Roan finished. Kate had been ignoring him since her confession of trouble for Spot and Ugly in the future. Roan liked the attention of being ignored.

Kyro looked up from his toast. "Save who?" He asked.

"Fucking miracle," Roan said, through the cigarette he had just placed between his lips and was now lighting. He was referring to the fact that Kyro had just opened his mouth, and sound had come out. "And all because I decided to become a monk, you see that Katie?" Roan continued. But Katie wasn't paying attention to him. She was looking at Kyro, who was looking at her for answers.

"Conlon and Ugly," Katie told him. Kyro's brow furrowed with worry.

"Save her from what?" Kyro asked.

Katie took a deep breath. She looked scared, like maybe she wasn't ready to change sides. "It's sort of difficult to explain."

XXX

Dun dun dun DUN! Things are really starting to get rolling now! I will probably sew this all up soon, thanks to my lovely grounding.

So, hmm…Spot and Ugly…sitting ducks? They are too wrapped up in each other to even consider what's happening around them. Also, both of them have a tendency to be sweet and trusting.

Roan and Katie seem to have gotten a bit more peppy, but can she convince him to help "save" his "friends" if need be, especially seeing as (hint, hint) he may be the only one who can?

What does Katie know? How is she involved? What's the deal?

Will Kyro's latent affection for Ugly cause him to come to her aid, despite his new girl?

Will Spot and Ugly get a clue?

Will Kinea please stop speaking in that affected and befuddling tone? It's seriously annoying. I'd like to see her true colors come out.

Will Ugly run off looking for her old pals? Will Spot let her? Should he? Will she find them? Or something else?

So many questions…so little time…yikes!


	12. Chapter 12

Suddenly, the door to Finn's apartment flew open, revealing two very unexpected visitors.

"Hello, darlings!" Kinea said with bravado. She was eating up the surprise on their faces. Ugly stood next to her, somewhat regretting choosing her as a companion for this little excursion. But if it hadn't been for Kinea's help, she wouldn't have gotten there at all. They'd been at a party, with Spot keeping a watchful eye on Ugly from across the room. Ugly had been so irritated that she'd confessed to Kinea that she wanted to see Roan and Kyro again. Kinea had quickly jumped in with a plan for escape. She'd told Spot they were going to the powder room, and that she would keep an eye on Ugly. They climbed out the window of the ladies room. It had been exciting at first, but then Ugly started to get knots in her stomach, thinking of how worried Spot would be.

"It's his own fault," Kinea had told her. "He can't tell you what to do." Ugly felt this was true, but she couldn't stop feeling guilty. "So," Kinea had asked. "Where to?"

That was where Ugly remembered that she had absolutely no idea where they were. So she confessed this fact to Kinea. Kinea seemed somewhat annoyed by her ignorance, but brushed it of quickly, as usual. "Well, we'll just have to search then. You've spent a lot of time with them. Where do _you_ think they would be?"

Ugly tried to clear her head of the guilt and the slight fear she had of Kinea. She felt a calm clarity and then she spoke. "Brooklyn, they wouldn't leave Brooklyn." Roan and Kyro, like she and Spot, were Brooklyn. They just couldn't thrive any place else. For he part, Kinea was glad she'd narrowed it down. Brooklyn was pretty fucking big, did Ugly expect them to go knocking on doors?

"I imagine they'll be some place seedy," Kinea added thoughtfully. So, they'd gone to a few bars and questioned the clientele. It was getting later and later and Ugly knew Spot would be worried sick by now, would be searching everywhere for her. She tried to push these thoughts out of her mind. They got a few whiskeys from various bartenders to aid in the settling of her mind

Ugly was beginning to lose hope and even Kinea was losing her vigor.At about the eleventh"seedy" bar,Ugly sat on abarstool, sipping whiskey while Kinea finessed the bar tender.Ugly overheard a man ata poker table talking loudly about howhe'd lost every last dime to some "kid" at a bar called "Thick & Finn." A kid called Ferris Ember. A kid with "creepy" yellow eyes. Ugly froze when she heard this last bit. She topple off the bar stool and ran over to Kinea.

"What is it?" Kinea asked, reenergized.

"I know where they are," she replied.

XXX

When Kinea strode into the apartment, with Ugly following behind, Katie went white, Roan looked like he'd been smacked and Kyro looked at Ugly.

Ugly ran out from behind Kinea and wrapped her arms around Kyro. "I was so worried about you guys!" She exclaimed. Kyro, who couldn't remember the last time they'd actually touched, was gob-smacked. Ugly was so excited (and pretty well drunk) that she actually hugged Roan as well. He was tempted to tell her that now that she'd brought Kinea with her, she had reason to be worried for them. But he was so overwhelmed by her outpouring of affection that he was speechless for once.

Kinea, shrewd bird that she was, picked out Katie like a hawk. "Katie, dear!" She exclaimed sweetly. "Pray tell, what on earth are you doing here?" Katie stared down at her shoes. She seemed very, very unpleasantly surprised. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she couldn't quite feel her legs.

"Katie and I had sex." Roan felt inspired to say as he lit himself a cigarette. He certainly had a flair for the unexpected. But then again, who can resist confessing recent sexual exploits to evil exes?

Kinea was actually caught off-guard for once and had no smooth and seamless reply. There was an awkward hush as everyone took in the situation. Ugly was happy to have found them but unsure what she was supposed to do now. Kyro was experiencing uncomfortable emotions that he'd been glad to escape from. Katie was still petrified. Roan was somewhat smug. Kinea was trying to force her mind back to the task at hand. The silence was interuppted by yet another visitor. But this one actually lived there. Finn walked through the door and her brown doe eyes shot from person to person in confusion. Kyro just glanced at her helplessly.

Of course, it was Kinea who first got her whits together and spoke. "Hi, I'm Kinea Cailum. We're just here to see Roan and Kyro," she explained.

"Who?" Finn asked, her confusion compounded.

Kinea thought maybe she was slow. Katie recovered and spoke. "She means Ferris and his friend. She just got her names mixed up," Katie said. She hadn't given Finn their real names for their protection, but Katie realized that the one they probably most needed protection from was now in the room with them.

"What the fuck are you doing here anyway?" Roan asked suspiciously. He really would rather Kinea left…or fell down dead.

"I was helping Ugly," Kinea said, sweetly. "She was worried about you."

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Ugly said truthfully. Damn that whiskey. Ugly sat down next to Kyro. She had completely forgotten about Spot by this time. She was happy drunk, she was with her old friends. She just wanted to sit down and chat. "How are you Katie?" She asked.

"Fine," Katie mumbled, still rather out of sorts. "You?"

"_Terrific_," Ugly said. "What is it you're doing here exactly?"

"Umm..." Good Question. "I just, you know, happened to run into these two..." Kinea was watching her carefully, so Katie shut her mouth.

"Oh, what have you two been up to?" Ugly asked Roan. She knew better then to ask Kyro, who would probably just shrug. Ugly noticed that Finn was paying a particular attention to Kyro.

Roan was in the process of staring down Kinea as if she were a building on the verge of collapse. "Oh, you know, a little bit of this, a little bit of that," he responded to Ugly.

"I'm really sorry about...the last time we spoke," Ugly confessed, turning slightly pink.

"Water under the bridge," he replied, still staring at Kinea. "You got me out at least, which is more than I can say for some people." Kinea stared right back at him. Every one else in the room noted their twin stares for a moment before Katie introduced Ugly to Finn and tried to start a fractious conversation between the two.

"So, Kin-Pin...what the fuck are you doing here?" Roan asked, under his breath.

"Let's talk outside," Kinea said back, in a hushed voice.

XXX

They sat on the outer wall of the roof, Roan's choice, in case he felt like jumping after putting up with Kinea for a few minutes.

Kinea sat down next to him. She actually felt somewhat nervous, which was extremely uncommon for her. She knew what she had to do, but she couldn't stop history from getting in the way. Nor the fact that for all her independence and self-certainty, she was utterly alone and slightly lonely. And, for reasons beyond earthly comprehension, she was wickedly attracted to Roan. God save her.

"You look good," she breathed, catching Roan off-guard. "Well, better anyway."

"Yeah? Thanks for the arrest. You can achieve some real mental clarity tied to a bed in your own shit, let me tell you. And fucking your best friend wasn't bad either," Roan said, smiling sinfully at her.

"You needed to clean up. We needed you." Kinea said. Roan tilted his head. What the fuck was she talking about? Kinea was looking at him, a knowing glint in her bright eyes. A glint that Roan knew could mean only one thing. A hell of a lot of trouble.

XXX

Which was exactly what Spot was in at the moment. He had been canvasing the party, searching everywhere for Ugly and Kinea, asking if anyone had seen them. He'd made the mistake of asking the shipping magnate whose job offer he'd refused. Apparently, the guy was still upset because the second Spot mentioned their names, he punched Spot in the face. Spot had immediately punched him right back and it had escalated into a brawl that had ended in Spot being escorted out by security.

Spot stood outside, trying to think of how he could get back inside to find Ugly, when he realized that she wasn't at the party. She hadn't gotten lost on the way to the powder room, she'd left. And he knew just where to. He hopped into a hired carriage. "Brooklyn," he said. "Just take me to Brooklyn." It wasn't too far from Manhattan, where the party was. He would have to figure out where Roan and Kyro were once he got there. If he found them, he would most certainly find her. He just hoped she was alright.

XXX

Aye Caramba! How naughty of Ugly to disappear on poor Spot! I'd be pissed, but fortunately Spot is just too sweetly concerned for her welfare...at this point anyway...

So, hmmm...Will Ugly please remember her boyfriend?

Will Spot be able to find her? Will he be punched again for his troubles?

What will Kyro do torn between two lovely ladies?

Why was Katie so freaked out by Kinea? Why did Roan pretty much forget about her (except for the polite sex reference) after all the lovely moments they shared? (Fucking boys).

What in the world is Kinea up to? How does it involve Roan? Will he join up with this "we" who needs him? What do they need him for? What in the world is going on people? Nous allons voir...


End file.
